Chapter 1192 Hunting Ground
Chapter 1192 Hunting Ground
After staying in Gaoliu Town for a few days, Shao Xun returned to Pingcheng and dismissed the second batch of troops and ordered them to return.
On September 21st, he arrived at Wuzhou Town, west of Pingcheng, and held a grand feast for the entire army.
On the same day, King Qin Shao Jin headed north from Kelan.
The Zuo Changzhi Guard, the Fourth Battalion of the Huangtou Army, and the Zaohu cavalry from Hedong, Pingyang, and Xihe, totaling more than 30,000 people, who had just returned from clearing out the Zaohu tribe in Hexi, joined them at Zhalu City, then headed north into the territory of Mayi County, then turned into the northwest mountains and headed straight for Wuzhou Town.
When passing through Mayi County, the new prefect Yang Quan came out of the city to greet him.
This county has been officially incorporated into Bingzhou, becoming the eighth subordinate county after Taiyuan, Leping, Xihe, Shangdang, Xinxing, Yanmen and Kelan. It governs four counties: Mayi, Sanggan, Yinguan and Hequ, greatly pushing the northwestern boundary of Bingzhou forward.
Of course, the four counties of Mayi and the seven counties of Kelan were all vassal counties, with great differences in official system, taxes, military and politics. In the past two years, Kelan County added one county, namely Caocheng County, and now it has jurisdiction over seven counties: Jingle, Xiurong, Langu, Hehe, Ningwu, Baode and Caocheng.
However, Caocheng County and Kelan County seem to have little to do with each other. Although they are nominally one county, in fact, large tracts of river valley plains, hilly lakes, pastures, and forests have been assigned to a military government to be established next year: Zhalu Longxiang Prefecture.
This prefecture governs Zhalu City and is the eighth military prefecture in the area north of Taiyuan.
After Shao Xun returned from Dongmugen Mountain, he mentioned to the attendant Liu Runzhong that he would build another Longxiang Prefecture in Bingzhou next year. The location would be chosen in the area of Caochengchuan, which was rich in water and grass. Even the military seat was ready-made: the Zhalu City that was built to attack Dai.
Liu Runzhong knew that after the emperor had dealt with the Tuoba Xianbei, he began to reorganize the area in the north of Bingzhou where the Han and Hu peoples mixed together, and had set his sights on the seven counties of Kelan that the Liu family had run for many years. So he readily said: My sister gave two thousand Jie households to Liu Zhao back then, and it is reasonable to return them now.
Of course, Liu Zhao was in Xinxing in the past. He had 6,000 Jie households at his disposal. In fact, they were given to him by the emperor from the hands of Shifu Hou. What would be wrong with giving some of them back now?
The 1,200 soldiers of Zhalu Longxiang Prefecture were composed mainly of 600 remnants of the Zuo Feilong Guard, 400 sons of the imperial guards, and 100 outstanding young men of the northern tour auxiliary soldiers. In addition, 100 quotas were given to the Shangdang Liu family, who were allowed to be appointed by Liu Runzhong to report to Zhalu City.
The 3,600 households of tribes needed, in addition to the 2,000 households of Jie people, will also require 1,600 households of pastoral slaves to be allocated from the seven counties of Kelan.
To say there are no emotions would be inaccurate.
Liu Runzhong knew very well that after the empire was settled, these old brothers who had helped him conquer the world became more and more annoying. The emperor was 45 years old, and in order to pave the way for his son, he could only take action against these old brothers who were like vassal states.
But generally speaking, the emperor is a kind person, and he didn't accuse you of treason. Granting land to the south and taking back land from the north is the general trend, and it is also the emperor's redemption plan. Just decide whether you accept it or not.
Liu Runzhong "gladly accepted it" without any nonsense.
The three prefectures of Xinxing, the two prefectures of Yanmen, one prefecture each of Dai, Guangning and Kelan, totaling 9,600 soldiers from the eight prefectures will be organized into the "Right Dragon and Tiger Guard". Together with the eight prefectures of Taiyuan, these nearly 20,000 soldiers will be the main combat force to face the former Tuoba Xianbei.
Their combat effectiveness is not on the same level as the 24,000 infantry and cavalry under the Chanyu's Mansion.
But who knows?
Thirty years later, the border troops under the jurisdiction of the Shanyu Mansion will most likely still not be able to defeat the 20,000 palace soldiers. It is hard to say what will happen after sixty years.
At that time, the imperial soldiers were still useful and could fight, but they were not elite and could only serve as local garrison troops, with only a few elite soldiers capable of field combat. But the imperial soldiers of today are standard field troops, charging into battle without hesitation.
Of course, no one can predict what will happen in this world.
It would be another matter if the second or third generation emperors were ambitious and over-used the government soldiers, or if the court did not provide sufficient relief during disasters, causing difficulties for the government soldiers.
On the 25th, more than 30,000 people marched straight to the city of Wu Zhou, bringing with them 50,000 hu of millet and wheat, 100,000 pieces of silk, 300,000 bundles of hay, and a batch of military supplies and equipment.
******
On the banks of the Wuzhou River, Shao Yu came out to greet him from afar.
"It's really amazing that Sixth Brother leads an army of 30,000." Hu Tou said enviously as he looked at the soldiers camping in the mountains.
As a child of the Shao family, who wouldn't want to lead troops to fight? Even the King of Zhao, Shao Xu, who was known for his gentleness, was said to have recruited strong and capable people from the disaster in Ji County and trained them into an army.
Compared with the so-called elegance of the Jiangdong scholars, his elegance is not worth mentioning, and it can even be said that he is a bit like a warrior.
There is no doubt that they were all deeply influenced by Shao Xun.
"How can I command an army of 30,000?" Shao Jin smiled bitterly and said, "Each unit has its own generals. I am just accompanying them."
When dismounting, Shao Jin frowned slightly.
From Xiurong to Zhalu City, and then to Mayi and Wuzhou, I rode horses all the way, and my crotch felt a little uncomfortable.
He had never had the experience of riding a horse for hundreds of miles in one breath. His thighs were in excruciating pain and his crotch was burning.
"Fourth brother." A man rushed out from the Yellow-headed Army and said with a smile from afar. It was Ba Gong Shao Ke.
"Ninth brother is here too?" Shao Yu was a little surprised.
"Yeah." Shao Ke got out of the carriage, took a few quick steps, and then tightly grasped Shao Yu's hand and said, "I miss you so much, fourth brother."
Shao Yu hugged him tightly and frowned, "Didn't you eat well before going out? Why are you still so thin?"
"I've always been this thin." Shao Ke muttered.
"As for you," Shao Yu sighed, "if you were captured by a Xianbei woman, you would be tortured beyond recognition in a few days."
"Fourth brother!" Shao Ke said dissatisfiedly.
Shao Yu laughed and stopped teasing him.
My ninth brother is the son of my aunt Wang Huifeng, nicknamed Sangyu, and is fourteen years old this year. It was not noticeable when he was young, but he became a little thin when he grew up.
"Your Highness." General Mi Zhi of the Left Changzhi Guard, General Zheng Dong, the commander of the Fourth Battalion of the Wansheng Army, Liu Zhao, the governor of Kelan, and other leaders came forward to pay their respects.
Shao Yu returned the greetings one by one, and then said, "Your Majesty is hunting on the north bank, please follow me."
The generals immediately went down to arrange the defense, and then followed the King of Qin, the King of Yan, and the Duke of Ba, crossed the river from the west of the city, and arrived at the north bank.
Across the endless hills, the cavalry galloped across the land, driving herds of wild beasts together.
At this time, the knights with outstanding archery skills rode out, drew their bows and shot, constantly showing off their skills amid the wailing of the beasts. "These are the ten battalions of new troops that Grandpa recruited, right?" Shao Jin said after taking a closer look.
"Not all of them. Sixth brother, look at this..." Shao Yu pointed at some people in the field and said, "Although they are riding horses and shooting arrows, their movements are clumsy and their bodies are stiff. It is obvious that they have only learned to ride horses for a few years and their riding skills are very poor. They must be soldiers of the Wu Zhou garrison or their children. They were originally infantry, and not everyone has mastered the exquisite riding skills to such an extent."
"Oh?" When Shao Jin said this, he glanced at Shao Yu secretly, then turned around and looked at the field.
Sure enough, he soon found several flags of the Wu Zhou garrison army, and what Hu Tou said was correct.
He looked away again, and casually glanced at the officers and generals who followed Tiger Head. Unexpectedly, someone was also peeking at him. Shao Jin was slightly startled, nodded to him, and turned his head back to the field, searching for his father's trace.
There was no one under the canopy, it was empty, so he must have gone hunting.
Shao Jin searched carefully and saw it after a while...
My father was actually standing under a few trees, directing the soldiers to hunt wild boars.
He laughed from time to time and played with his arrows. When the wild boar chased him, countless soldiers rushed forward.
The silver-spear veteran can stab the enemy's throat in an instant on a noisy and dangerous battlefield, and his spear moves like a dragon.
The elite soldiers in black cloaks, who were able to knock down heavily-armored warriors with wooden clubs, hammered and hit with all their might.
The warriors showed no fear in the face of the charging cavalry and even used their hooked sickle spears to hook the wild boar's legs.
Finally, the long axe and the heavy sword chopped down with all their might.
My goodness, dozens of armored cavalry rushing over would be killed, let alone two or three wild boars.
Dad is playing...
Just as he was watching, Tong Qianjin rode up on horseback and shouted, "Your Majesty has ordered the King of Qin, the King of Yan, and Lord Ba to go hunting with you."
Shao Ke looked a little bitter, but he quickly picked a horse.
Shao Yu's expression brightened up. He took the reins from Lieutenant Daohua and climbed up.
Shao Jin gritted his teeth secretly and took the mount from Chen Kui.
It hurts if your butt hurts, but you can't retreat at this time. Even if you are broken into two pieces, you have to grit your teeth and persevere.
The three of them rushed into the venue, each with several followers, and soon gathered where Shao Xun was.
Shao Xun simply waved his hand and ordered them to hunt wild animals.
He kept Yuwen Xibaxiong and asked, "Have all the counties in Bingzhou been provided with relief?"
Yuwen Xibaxiong did not expect the emperor to ask him. After thinking for a while, he said, "We have been to Taiyuan, Xinxing, Yanmen and Daijun, and visited all nine military headquarters. Each household of the soldiers received 50 hu of grain. Only Banquan Longxiang Prefecture was not visited. It was too far away. Wenxue Guo De escorted the grain and grass to provide disaster relief on behalf of Your Highness."
"What about the tribes?" Shao Xun continued to ask.
"Your Highness has set up porridge farms in Xiurong and Jingle counties, providing work in lieu of relief, and repairing roads, which are still under construction. In addition, grain is distributed to registered households, with each household receiving 10 hu of grain. For the tribesmen who are not registered, their leaders are asked to come to Xiurong and Jingle to receive grain and hay, with each household receiving 30,000 to 50,000 hu of grain and more than 100,000 bundles of hay."
"Your Highness also crossed the mountains and went to Hehe and Baode counties."
"What are you going there for?" Shao Xun asked.
"Your Majesty banished some of the Central Plains scholars to these places. After many years of operation, the family's reputation has not declined. The Hu people of various tribes admire them very much and many of them have intermarried with them. Your Highness knows that it is not easy for them and feels sorry for them, so he went there in person to encourage them to educate the Hu people and change their customs. They will surely rise again in the future."
"Oh, it's those people." Shao Xun nodded.
Up to now, whenever the imperial court sentenced people to exile, it still liked to send them to border counties such as Kelan, Diaoyin, Xinqin, Shang, Dai, and Guangning.
As for exiling the entire family including their servants, that depends on whether there is a major case in the country.
"Liang Nu is very attentive..." Shao Xun said with emotion.
After sighing, he looked at Yuwen Xibaxiong and said, "You speak in a very logical way, but I wonder if you have any rules for doing things?"
Yuwen Xibaxiong was a little confused and didn't know how to answer.
"Where are your soldiers?" Shao Xun asked, "How many did you bring?"
Yuwen Xibaxiong was silent for a moment, then said, "I have selected five hundred cavalrymen to escort the King of Qin to the north."
When they went south as hostages, they did not come alone, but brought with them five hundred horses, a thousand chariots, and several thousand men and women - these people also brought with them livestock, property, and weapons.
"Pull it out and let me see it." Shao Xun said.
"Yes, sir." Yuwen Xibaxiong took the order and left.
After a while, five hundred riders came from the south of the river and crossed to the north bank.
Shao Xun watched quietly.
The five hundred cavalrymen practiced tactics such as galloping and shooting, and flanking from the left and right.
After reading it, Shao Xun was slightly disappointed.
I don't know how capable this guy is at leading troops in combat, but his ability in training soldiers is average - it can't be said to be bad, in fact, he is a qualified cavalry general, but a bit mediocre.
If he were to fight against the Murong family, it would seem there would be no chance.
(End of this chapter)