Chapter 1227 Adventure
Chapter 1227 Adventure
In late March, Zhang Shuo arrived at the city of Hefei.
As spring plowing came to an end, more and more young men arrived here, and the offensive became more and more fierce day by day.
Starting from the 25th, the rural nobles in Huainan and Lujiang counties surrendered one after another. Under Zhang Shuo's strict orders, they were forced to recruit young men and move to Hefei to join the siege.
Of course, some people don’t come, and we will settle the score with them later.
The area between the Yangtze River and the Huai River has been in a stalemate since the Three Kingdoms period. Many places even became uninhabited areas. It was only after the Jin Dynasty conquered the Wu Dynasty that there was peace for more than 20 years, and the population of counties and prefectures, represented by Huainan, began to rise.
But the good times did not last long. The late Jin Dynasty fell into war again, with large numbers of people killed and wounded, and fleeing, which continues to this day.
There were not many people in the first place, so Zhang Shuo didn't care. He just recruited men to fight. He even wanted old people and young boys, as long as they could charge towards the city wall.
Today was another fierce battle.
Zhang Shuo only looked for a while before leaving the battlefield and heading south to Wankou, accompanied by the Silver Spear Camp.
Looking at the rows of fierce and vigorous soldiers marching south in orderly steps, Zhang Shuo was a little dazed.
This was an old unit that he had led before, starting with recruits, and then moving them around to become one of the most powerful troops in the world. Now they were handed over to Yang Qin, a rising star.
"It's almost April, and the temperature in the south of the Yangtze River is getting hotter. It may be disadvantageous for the cavalry to go there. Don't blame me for being cruel. Without elite troops to support us, chaos will inevitably occur and everyone will fight on their own. After you cross the river, you will have to coordinate the overall situation. Reward where necessary and punish where necessary. Don't be embarrassed." Zhang Shuo said, "Can the emperor give you a title?"
"Your Majesty has ordered the establishment of a camp in Xuancheng, and I will be appointed as the Recruiting Envoy and Governor-General of the war in the south of the Yangtze River, and I will still be under the command of Governor-General Zhang." Yang Qin replied.
"Recruiting Envoy..." Zhang Shuo chewed on these three words carefully.
This is another envoy position. Zhaotao means to pacify and attack.
As the name implies, it is not only about fighting, but also about recruiting and surrendering rebels, and the latter is even more important. In fact, Yang Qin brought a lot of official uniforms and seals, and when the time comes, he will have the power to appoint and dismiss people on the spot, which shows how heavy his authority is.
However, the Xuancheng camp was still under his command, which showed that the emperor still attached more importance to the war situation in Jiangbei and vowed to capture Hefei, Dongguan, Liyang, Guangling and other places.
While the two were talking, a group of boats went downstream and stopped at the entrance of Chaohu Lake. They built water forts on the spot and stored supplies.
The battle in Huainan was going quite smoothly. Juchao County had been captured and Dongguan was within sight. According to scouts, the Jiangdong navy that had been stationed in Ruxuwu had already moved southward in large numbers and entered the Yangtze River. Now only Luzhai was left with a few navy soldiers.
However, the more than 200 ships transferred from Heyang and Bianliang were still very cautious and advanced step by step, for fear of encountering the main force of the enemy.
There is actually no shortage of ships; what is lacking is people.
If these thousands of naval officers and soldiers were to die in battle, no one would be able to replace them in a short period of time.
"After you leave, I will order an attack on Hengjiang, Danglipu and other places, and prepare to cross the river to the south. You can go straight to Lujiang." Zhang Shuo added, "Half of Xuancheng is already in our hands. You can cross the river to the south when the time is right. Don't worry, no one will stop you when you go ashore. Just be careful of the epidemic."
"Yes, sir." Yang Qin clasped his fists.
"The better we fight in Jiangnan, the faster we advance in Jiangbei." Zhang Shuo said with a smile, "It's almost April now. When we besieged Hefei in the past, Shanxia had already crossed the Chaohu River and headed north. The fleet crossed the river and shot our army so hard that they couldn't stand. Reinforcements and food were easily transported into Hefei, and even the wounded were taken away. With this kind of fighting style, when will we be able to capture Hefei? Now, we haven't seen any reinforcements since mid-March. I think He Chong is also very desperate. Hefei will be captured sooner or later."
"The governor still has to persuade them to surrender. Has the old house of the He family in Lujiang been taken?" Yang Qin asked.
"It's surrounded." Zhang Shuo said, "I think the He family will surrender before Hefei. Then we can drive the He family members to the city of Hefei. I don't know how He Chong can defend it."
Yang Qin couldn't help laughing.
Without any external reinforcements, it is easy to imagine what Hefei's final fate would be.
This is the case with Hefei, and Liyang and Dongguan are no exception.
It is said that if you want to defend the Yangtze River, you must defend the Huai River. If the Huai River cannot be defended, at least you should control an area between the Huai River and the Yangtze River like the Eastern Wu did. If the battle line is really pushed to the north bank of the Yangtze River, there will be no room for error - it is impossible for people not to make mistakes.
Now the Liang army is sneaking across the border everywhere, and the Wu people are unable to defend themselves against it.
******
On the river outside Wankou City, ships were gathered together.
It seemed as if they had no concern at all about being seen by the Wu people. They even had the leisure to turn some boats upside down on the shore and carry out repair and maintenance work in a high-profile manner.
The reeds in the marsh had long been cut down to prevent pirate ships from sneaking in without their knowledge.
Some camps were also set up along the river bank.
The Di Qiang had already left, sweeping through Lujiang and Xunyang counties, and were replaced by a group of young men from Henan County.
The emperor said that in order to prevent the people around Luoyang from becoming unaccustomed to fighting for a long time, a group of strong men would be transferred here to cross the river and march south.
However, there were no smiles on the faces of these young men. To be more precise, they were somewhat expectant and even more nervous.
Huan Yi and his son Huan Wen were still staying in Wankou, and this was the scene they saw.
"Before, they only occupied Tangyi, but there were not many places to cross the river. Now, not only have they taken Wankou, but they have also taken most of Xuancheng on the other side. They can no longer defend themselves." Huan Yi said, "But I think the fate of these people is probably not good."
"Grandpa, Shicheng has been occupied by Wang Bin. Will we be attacked by bandits if we cross the river?" Huan Wen asked, looking at the sparkling river in the distance.
"Who knows?" Huan Yi shook his head and said, "It depends on their luck. If they run into the Wu soldiers who are ready for battle, they will be in trouble. Didn't the emperor move their families to Xiangyang? It's better to exchange one's life for a government soldier than to be a farmhand for others for the rest of your life."
In order to boost military morale, the imperial court established Gucheng Longxiang Prefecture in Shunyang County, Lexiang Longxiang Prefecture in Xinye County, and Fancheng Longxiang Prefecture in Xiangyang County, with a total of 3,600 soldiers as rewards to the soldiers who crossed the river from Wankou.
The first batch crossed the river three times, with a total of more than 1,800 people. According to the last report, 1,400 people finally arrived in Xuancheng. But regardless of success or failure, even if they died in the river, they could still serve as government soldiers. The families of these people have already been relocated and given troops.
The second group of people who crossed the river could also serve as government soldiers, and these are the ones in front of us.
As for whether the third group of people who might come later to cross the river could do so, Huan Wen tended to think that they could not, because it was no longer that dangerous.
The opportunity to build a legacy for future generations is fleeting.
"Master, is it good or bad for the world if the government soldiers are rampant?" Huan Wen asked.
"Who can tell which is good or bad?" Huan Yi shook his head. "However, the emperor cannot turn the whole world into a levy for the government soldiers. Half of the land in the south of the Yangtze River is still not measured. When the time comes, we can compare and see whether the north with equal distribution of land is better or the south with numerous manors and fortresses is better."
"Are you going to measure the fields in Huainan and Lujiang?" Huan Wen looked around and said, "If we take good care of these places, they are actually not worse than Henan, but they are in the north of the Yangtze River, so it is easy for the court to control them."
"The emperor probably won't let go of the fields between the Yangtze and Huai Rivers, and will definitely take them away." At this point, Huan Yi glanced at his son and said, "Don't think about these things all the time. Is your wife planning to take over Huainan again? Let her think of a solution in Xuancheng. It's not easy for the northern nobles to go south to enclose land. Where do they get food, seeds, oxen, farm tools, and even machinery? They can't be transported from Henan, right? If you go to Xuancheng to buy land, it will be much easier with the help of the Ji family."
Huan Wen blushed.
In this relationship, Fu Bao was definitely the dominant one and was extremely powerful at home. However, in public, she was very concerned about her face, like a little girl, to make Huan Wen look good. "What official position can Ji Gong get?" Huan Wen asked again.
Huan Yi hesitated for a moment and said, "As far as I know, the emperor personally appointed me as the governor of Xuancheng."
This is what it means to reach the top overnight.
Xuancheng has gradually become a breakthrough point for conquering Jiangnan, and the Ji family has made great contributions, so it is normal to receive such a reward.
On the first day of April, just as Huan and his son were leaving Wankou and returning to Bianliang, a large number of ships suddenly emerged from the large and small reed marshes near Wankou, and under the cover of night, they sailed towards the other side in a mighty manner.
The Jiangzhou navy, which had just moved from Chaisang to Shicheng, was dispatched in large numbers to intercept.
That night, another fleet crossed the river thirty miles east of Wankou, and a total of 2,200 people arrived at the quagmire on the other side.
It took them a whole night and half a day to get all the people, equipment, and draft animals to dry land.
If someone shot with bows and crossbows from a high place at this moment, these soldiers in the Silver Spear Camp would surely suffer heavy casualties, but unfortunately no one did.
The northern expatriates who settled along the river did not stop the Liang army from landing. Instead, they retreated into their forts, appearing to strictly maintain neutrality.
On the afternoon of April 2nd, some troops finally arrived from other places, but their number was small, and they were easily repelled by the fully-organized Silver Spear Battalion.
From this we can also see that the Jin army actually had surveillance personnel nearby, but they were not sure which direction the Liang army would come from.
The river bank is so long that it is impossible to set up defenses everywhere. There are not so many soldiers, so we can only focus on the traditional ferry crossings with good landing conditions and complete dock facilities, which is the so-called "grab the big and let go of the small". The army is stationed in places with high landing possibilities, and a small number of troops are sent to monitor places with low possibilities. Once there is a situation, they will report it and then mobilize troops to encircle and suppress it.
This is actually very passive.
Intercepting on the river, monitoring along the river, and mobilizing troops to encircle and suppress, these seem to be three measures, but in fact they are all bullshit. There is only one way to break this dilemma: establish a buffer zone in the north of the river, that is, "to defend the Yangtze River, we must defend the Huai River."
"Let the Ji family find food." Yang Qin poured out the water in his leather military boots and gave the order.
Each person only had five days' worth of dry food in their bran bags, and they carried some more on their backs, but not much, probably only enough for eight or nine days.
If they cannot get enough food after eight days, they will probably starve.
"Let the guide find a few forts, confer official titles on the fort commanders, and see if there is anyone to accept the offer." Yang Qin asked someone to find the luggage and took out the official uniform, seal, and letter of appointment made of honey-scented paper.
The letters of appointment were mostly for a type of ninth-rank official that had almost disappeared in the north: a general.
There were also higher-ranking officials such as county magistrates, chancellors, and lieutenants, but they were not many.
If the name on the petition is blank, it can be filled in temporarily.
After accepting these letters of appointment and receiving the official uniform and seal, you will be an official of the Daliang Dynasty, and you will be able to escape the great purge in the future.
There are limited official positions and it’s first come, first served. It depends on whether they are qualified or not.
That night, the guide brought over a middle-aged man with a wretched appearance.
Yang Qin looked at him and laughed: "With your appearance, you will never be an official in your life. Where are you from?"
"Liang people."
Yang Qin was stunned.
"It was the Liang State in the former Yuzhou."
Yang Qin reacted and realized that during the Jin Dynasty, the five counties of Chen County still belonged to the Liang State.
"You are lucky since you are from Liang and the first one to arrive." Yang Qin said as he rummaged through the felt carpet on the grass.
The middle-aged man's mouth twitched as he watched.
There were piles and piles of crowns, official uniforms, seals, swords and letters of appointment, which made him dizzy.
Strictly speaking, Yang Qin was a bit "disgraced" by leaving these things representing the court's public property so casually, which was too eye-catching. But he didn't care. The conditions were difficult, so why bother about those things?
Besides, whether something is valuable or not depends entirely on whether it is useful.
"I'll give you an eighth-rank Shicheng Wei." Yang Qin asked someone to bring a pen and paper, sat cross-legged, and asked casually, "What's your name?"
"Liu...Liu Xiaoshu." the middle-aged man replied.
Yang Qin didn't care what his name was and just picked up his pen and filled in the blank.
The middle-aged man looked at it quietly and saw that there were already a lot of words on the letter of appointment, saying -
"My disciples: I have heard that those who follow the will of heaven and the times will be awarded with high titles; those who are able to grasp opportunities and adapt to changes will receive special honors. I advise you, the (blank) prefectures (blank) counties (blank), to have a long-standing vision and to have witnessed the rise and fall of a country..."
"I received the map and the imperial decree, and pacified the people... I granted you a bronze seal and a black ribbon, and promoted you to the position of (vacant) county lieutenant. You shall be in charge of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and purify the local areas; you shall be in charge of the military, and pacify the villages..."
"If the drums and drums are not alarmed, and the teeth and teeth are in control, then the rank will be increased and the silk will be given, and the favor will not be withheld. If they are just sitting in the position and eating without doing anything, and neglecting their duties, the three-foot-high guard is still there, and the country has a fixed punishment. Good officials should be diligent in their duties. The master will implement it."
Finally, there is the seal of the Ministry of Personnel of the Secretariat.
After Yang Qin finished writing, he blew on it in his hand and said with a smile: "Fortunately I have practiced calligraphy, so it's not that bad."
After that, he handed the letter of appointment to Liu Xiaoshu and said, "Keep it. It will save your life in the future."
Liu Xiaoshu's hands trembled slightly when he took it.
To become an official one has to be assessed by the Ministry of Personnel, and people like him will never have a chance in his life unless he has a lucky encounter.
Well, today is an adventure. After going through all the formalities, all you need to do is fill in your name. As the saying goes, special matters are handled specially. If this is not an adventure, what is an adventure?
"General, I am willing to donate 2,000 hu of grain and 100 chariots to support military supplies." After Liu Xiaoshu handed the letter of appointment to his son and nephew, he bowed deeply.
"Listen to what you are saying. You are making it look like a business deal." Yang Qin searched among a pile of seals and finally found a tiny turtle seal. He sneered and said, "The Shaofu is too stingy. He made the official seal so small."
After that, he stuffed the official seal, official uniform, crown, belt and sword at Liu Xiaoshu and said, "You are already the lieutenant of Daliang County, so you must take responsibility. Come on, take me to your fortress, and tell me where Wang Bin's Jiangzhou army is."
(End of this chapter)