Chapter 1045 Preparation and Digestion

Chapter 1045 Preparation and Digestion

Chapter 1045 Preparation and Digestion

Outside the river, the sound of drums shook the earth.

The overwhelming force of cavalry rushed over, and the momentum was so great that it reminded people of the great battle decades ago.

It was also a winter month, the weather was freezing cold and there was heavy snow. The Eastern Wu navy set sail northward, fought bravely in the snow, and defeated the Sima clan.

But that was all decades ago, and the Wu people today seem to be far inferior to what they were back then.

Just as they had unloaded food, fodder, gold and silk from the ship and were preparing to transport them to a nearby military fort by ox cart, they were discovered by the Xianbei cavalry.

They came roaring, as fast as thunder, shouting and yelling, with arrows flying everywhere.

When the laborers pulling the carts and the guarding soldiers saw this, they shouted and fled backwards, leaving the carts all over the ground and lined up along the river, which was quite a spectacular sight.

Planks were lowered from the boat to pick up the fleeing people.

Seeing that the Xianbei cavalry was getting closer, the boatmen simply put away the planks and rowed towards the center of the river to avoid being killed by the enemy who would dismount from their horses and climb onto the boat.

Shields and baffles were also erected on the outside of the ship, and footsteps were heard from behind, and no one knew what they were doing.

"Xilulu!" The first batch of Xianbei cavalry who arrived reined in their horses at the river bank and shot a few arrows at the boat, but they were like drop in the ocean and had no effect.

The people on the boat did not fight with them, but rowed the boat away and gradually disappeared from sight.

More Xianbei cavalry rushed over, dismounted from their horses in a noisy manner, looted gold, silk and other valuables, and smiled happily.

When the first group of people arrived saw this, they became anxious and also dismounted and scrambled for it.

The sound of horse hooves rang out, and the third group of people arrived.

They were somewhat responsible and whipped the noisy crowd with their whips a few times, intending to collect the food first.

At this moment, low and dense drum sounds were heard from the lake on the opposite bank.

In an instant, dozens of small boats rushed out from behind the reeds.

The boatman was very skilled in boat handling, and in just a few moves, the boat was turned sideways.

Each ship carried dozens of soldiers, with the front row holding shields and the back row drawing bows and arrows.

In an instant, dense streams of bows and arrows shot towards the shore, and the arrows were so fast that people could hardly react.

The Xianbei people who were packing up their property were caught off guard and fell down in large numbers.

There were more and more ships, as if they had been lying in ambush there for a long time.

The rain of arrows became more and more intense, and the river bank seemed to be covered with a layer of white hair, fluttering in the cold wind.

It was impossible for anyone to survive under such a dense rain of arrows.

A few Xianbei cavalrymen who reacted quickly rolled and crawled, grabbed the horses and fled far away, looking at this side in shock.

The drumbeat on the boat changed again, and the planks were lowered.

A moment later, hundreds of infantrymen came ashore one after another, holding spears and large shields, with bows and crossbows pointing into the distance.

Some people searched the entire battlefield with knives and axes, beheaded all the Xianbei people and collected them.

On the largest boat on the lake, Zhou Guang breathed a sigh of relief, and his fear was much relieved.

It seems that as long as we use tactics properly, we can defeat the cavalry in areas with dense water networks, so there is no need to be so afraid.

As for the vast empty areas, forget it.

It would be good to march along the river. The logistics would be secure, and we could rely on warships to fight with our backs to the river...

Around the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the Jin army fought two consecutive small-scale battles near Chaohu Lake.

Once, they used gold, silk, food and fodder to lure the enemy, and the fleet ambushed them, beheading more than 400 people, capturing 100 people, and seizing 200 horses;

Once, the navy went around the rear and cut off the bridges. The Xianbei cavalry retreated in panic and suffered terribly in the area with dense water networks. Looking around, there were either forts, swamps and forests, or small streams and rivers in front of them. After being intercepted by the navy several times, they were scattered all over the ground, just like the Xiongnu cavalry that lost their organization in Henan that year. More than a thousand of them starved to death, died of disease, or froze to death, and hundreds of them lost their way and finally became prisoners.

On the 18th day of the first lunar month, Shan Xia and Shan Yanlin personally went to Hefei, but did not go north.

In order not to affect the reclamation of Wuhu, he only brought 2,000 naval troops and 2,000 infantry to Hefei. After hearing that the river north of Hefei sometimes froze for a few days and sometimes melted for a few days, he decisively gave up the idea of ​​going north.

Shishui, north of Hefei, has almost become a tacit buffer zone for both sides.

******
Almost at the same time that Shan Xia arrived in Hefei, Zhang Shuo also came to the north of Shaobi for inspection.

Since late autumn last year, batches of servants and criminals have arrived here.

Except for a few days of rest on the Winter Solstice and New Year's Day, everyone was busy silting ditches and leveling fields.

There were several rebellions during this period, but they were all quickly suppressed by the Silver Spear Camp, which also provided a good opportunity for the newly arrived soldiers to train.

Last year, nearly a thousand people in the unit died of illness, which was the largest loss since the establishment of the army. Now it has been fully replenished - however, the deputy captains, captains and even governors and leaders of this batch of new imperial army recruits are not military students, but garrison troops from the north.

The Shaofu gradually sent over 1,300 gardeners, most of whom were former soldiers of the Langling garrison.

Nearly 6,000 men, women, old and young cleared farmland at the foot of Bagong Mountain, cut wood and stones on the mountain, and built houses.

The entire mountainous area plus a large uninhabited area nearby was designated as Huainan Garden, which was the imperial garden.

Spring sowing will begin next month.

The millet seeds have been prepared and the farm tools are all available, except for the shortage of oxen and horses, so we can only make do with what we have.

Zu Yue's soldiers also started farming in Xiacai County in Huaibei.

Zhang Shuo really didn't dare to let these people stay in Huainan.

As time went by, it became clear that there was no hope of returning to Xuzhou, and people were fleeing every few days. If this continued, I was afraid that all of them would flee.

There was no other way, so Zhang Shuo wrote a letter to the emperor, selecting a group of orphans and widows from the families of Liu Han's imperial guards who had rebelled and been suppressed a while ago, and sent them to Xiacai to reassure the people.

If he can't even feel at peace with this and still wants to go back to his original wife and children, then there is nothing he can do but to transfer everyone away from Huaishang.

However, in this case, Huainan's military strength would be very thin.

It is impossible for the government soldiers and the Hu soldiers to stay here for a long time. Now in Shouchun, only one part of the Silver Spear Camp has returned, and the others have returned home to reunite. Even they cannot stay here for a long time and will leave after the New Year.

No one knows who will take over at that time.

After returning from the inspection, Zhang Shuo received news that the Xianbei cavalry began to retreat, and he immediately sneered.

That General Zhenbei, Da Xi Heruo, was extremely arrogant and thought he could roam freely in the area with dense water networks. He was just daydreaming.

But we still need to appease these people and not let them lose morale. We need to hold on until the replacement troops arrive.

On the 20th day of the first lunar month, he went to the East and West Xishi Mountains again.

After efforts since the beginning of autumn, the castles on the two mountains were reinforced. A water fort was also built on the river below the mountain. Yang Bao, the admiral of the navy, sent a thousand men to each place to serve as garrisons.

With these two water forts, the entire Shouchun will be much safer.

Until the rivers in Henan Province froze, the navy was rushing to transport food and supplies to Shouchun.

In fact, the Huai River hardly froze this year, but the Jin army's navy did not come, so the transportation was very smooth, and more than one million hu of grain and beans were delivered to various places in Shouchun.

Unfortunately, the imperial court did not select a large infantry force to march south before the New Year to support him in attacking Lujiang. Instead, it sent the Xianbei cavalry who were paid to fight. What could be done?

******
After entering the third year of Kaiping (329), everything gradually became clear.

Around the time of the Spring Festival in February, the atmosphere between Liang and Jin became increasingly tense. Although there was no major fighting, small-scale frictions began to increase on the border.

Shao Xun, who was still stationed in Guangchengze, raised the issue at the right time and asked the important officials in the court to discuss: In the southern expedition, should we attack Jin or Cheng first?

During this period, he speeded up and arranged a series of affairs.

Huan Wen has now become the public enemy of the sons of the nobles in Daliang, and he and Princess Jingfu will marry in March.

Shao Xun didn't care about the affairs of his children.

If Huan Wen couldn't even handle the pressure, then he would have to be the imperial concubine until his death. However, Fu Bao was very protective of her future husband and scolded those people one by one.

This may not be a good thing, nor a bad thing. It all depends on his luck.

The eldest son Jin Dao was fully qualified for the position of Chief Clerk of the Left Jinwu Guard and was familiar with all matters. Shao Xun transferred him to the Shaofu to serve as the second Shaofu Junior Supervisor, in charge of the final sprint of woodblock printing.

The ink that has been prepared so far is relatively good, but Shao Xun is still a little dissatisfied and asks Shaofu to improve it further.

Give them one to two years. If it still doesn’t work, then use the current defective products and don’t delay any further.

The second son, Shao Gui, was still stationed in Zuoguoyuan, but he also served as the Shaoqing of Taipu Temple.

He still held his post in the Chanyu's palace, and promoted horse farming in Dai State, and urged the herdsmen of the Taipu Temple to continue selecting and breeding excellent horses suitable for horse farming.

The third son Xu managed Sangziyuan in an orderly manner. The population increased and the output of wealth and goods increased greatly.

Of course, this is not necessarily his credit, it is more likely the ability of the officials in Prince Zhao's mansion, but it is good to know how to use people.

Shao Xun will investigate which official in the Prince Zhao's Mansion is so capable, and then transfer him away, and then see if Sanlang can stabilize the situation.

After arranging all this, he began to focus on military affairs...

"When will you let me go?" In the early morning in Guangcheng Palace, Wang leaned her face against Shao Xun's chest and asked softly.

The weather in early February is still a bit cold, especially in the mountains.

The two of them lay in one quilt, and to be honest, it was quite comfortable.

It wasn't just because of the warmth, Wang also felt a sense of psychological relaxation.

She was extremely powerful and impressive in Pingcheng, but for some reason, her nerves were tense.

Everyone thought he wanted to rebel.

When I saw those tribal leaders, I was guessing what he was thinking: Do you think I am no different from the Qi family? Do you think I am a hen crowing at dawn? Do you feel humiliated? Are you waiting for Shi Yijian to grow up?

This feeling of uneasiness could never be dispelled. Even after defeating Liu Lugu's forces, many people looked at her with fear, but she still couldn't completely let go of her worry.

But when she left the old nest where she had run her business for many years and came to the unfamiliar Guangchengze, she suddenly relaxed.

Especially at night when she said a few soft words and let the man hold her to sleep, the feeling of security was indescribable.

The biggest risk here is that this man always wants to get her pregnant.

In the past two or three months since she came to Guangchengze, she has probably spent more nights with him than Empress Yu, and this is her only worry.

"Are you in such a hurry to leave?" Shao Xun hugged the woman tightly and said, "Liu Lugu has just been dealt with, your brother is in charge of Shengle to clean up the remnants, and Pingcheng also has the Shanyu Mansion, what are you worried about?"

"I want to go back to see my daughter." Wang said softly, "Our daughter."

"Does she look like me or you now?" Shao Xun asked with interest.

"She looked like you when she was little, and like me now." Wang chuckled and said, "It would be better if she looked like her mother. Then she will be the most beautiful lark on the grassland in the future."

Shao Xun laughed and said, "Bring her to Luoyang. I want to hug my good girl."

"He's only three years old after the New Year. He's too young." Wang moved up, hugged Shao Xun's neck tightly with both hands, and the huge thing slid against his chest.

"What a young body." Shao Xun sighed in his heart.

He had slept with Wang for several years and had two children, but the woman in front of him was only 24 years old.

What an inexhaustible legacy Tuoba Yulu left him.

"Don't leave until you're pregnant." Shao Xun patted her butt, causing ripples to appear.

Wang didn't say anything.

"Hmm?" Shao Xun was a little uncomfortable with this. In the past, this woman always begged bitterly.

"What do you think the Xianbei nobles think of me?" Wang suddenly said.

"They are playing dumb." Shao Xun said, "The first person who is unwilling to play dumb will be killed, and things will be quiet for a while."

“In fact, those tribes in Mobei no longer come to Pingcheng to pay tribute.” Wang said, “There are also tribes in Dongmugen Mountain who cursed me in private and left without saying goodbye.”

"If the old doesn't go, the new won't come." Shao Xun said shamelessly: "Didn't you just conquer the tribes of Shuofang, Kujiesha and Beiyishan? I see more people than those who have left."

"One day it will fall apart." Wang suddenly became emotional and said, "The grasslands are full of unruly wolves. Even if I keep a few lovers to play with, they will not despise me so much, but will respect me. But what prestige can a woman who is summoned and dismissed at will have? If Shi Yijian had not been there, Dai would have been disbanded long ago. In the end, I am afraid that only the Wuhuan and Liang people will not leave."

Shao Xun was silent for a while, and said: "In a few days, I will recruit some soldiers and young men from the military forces in Luonan who are willing to seek fame and honor, and set up a military town in Hongcheng, south of Shengle. I will recruit as many as I can every year, and eventually improve Hongcheng Town. With Wuzhou, Gaoliu and Hongcheng, it will be more stable."

"You still don't understand." Wang said, "They won't rebel now, but they can leave."

"So what do you want?" Shao Xun asked.

"I want to be your queen, can you give it to me?" Wang suddenly laughed, and her tone seemed to be a joke.

"Don't you want the queen of Dai anymore?" Shao Xun seemed to say it in a joking tone.

"The Dai Kingdom will be controlled by Shi Yijian sooner or later. How many more years can I remain in power?" Wang said.

"Oh?" Shao Xun smiled and said, "The first thing Shi Yijian did when he took power was to order his mother to be executed."

Wang was stunned and speechless.

There was a moment when I wanted to cry.

She didn't know why things had come to this point.

At the beginning, she seemed to be asking for help from Shi Yijian to restore his country, and at that time she was sincerely working for her son.

But gradually, Shi Yijian no longer understood her, and she gradually distanced herself from her son, only using him as a signboard.

Now, she was actually on guard against her son, and her son seemed to hate her very much.

There must have been someone or something that brought about this change.

The once kind mother has fallen and can't go back because she is a little addicted and greedy.

"I'm pregnant." Wang said after a long time.

"Really?" Shao Xun asked happily.

"How can I not get pregnant if you use me like this every day?" Wang said weakly, "If I go back with a big belly, it wouldn't be surprising if some Xianbei nobles rebelled and staged a coup."

"Then go to Liangcheng and cover up your presence a little." Shao Xun said, "Liangcheng is safe. The more 'Liangcheng' you go to, the safer you will be."

Wang didn't want to talk much.

"I will give you an extra 50,000 pieces of silk." Shao Xun added, "Use it to reward the young men from the tribes who fought in Huainan, and give more compensation to those who died in the battle. For those who are not stable, draw up a list for me. Dai is a vassal of Daliang, so I can still mobilize troops from the vassal states and have them come to Henan before autumn. Be prepared. If they don't come, send a message immediately and suppress them immediately."

"I do this again and again, it would be strange if they recognized me." Wang finally said something.

"If it's a boy this time, we'll confer him the title of Duke of a county. As long as they don't dare to rebel now, it will be difficult in the future." Shao Xun hugged the woman tightly and said softly, "When all the children on the grassland are ours, you still have to be afraid of those tribal leaders?"

"What do you want these soldiers for?" Wang hugged Shao Xun and whispered in his arms.

"Attack Xiangyang." Shao Xun said, "Tao Kan and Le Kai have been fighting each other for so many years, Nanyang has become impoverished, I don't believe Xiangyang can hold out for much longer."

"I'm pregnant. Please accompany me for the next few days. Let's just walk around here and take a look." Wang said again.

"Are you not in a hurry to go back?" Shao Xun asked with a smile.

Wang shook her head and said, "I am a woman, I am always weak. If you accompany me, I will be satisfied, and then I can be ruthless enough to kill someone when I go back."

"Okay." Shao Xun agreed immediately.

Only by stabilizing the north can he have enough time to attack the south.

Moreover, although the focus is on attacking Jiangnan, the digestion of the north will not stop, which is also a long-term national policy.

(End of this chapter)