Chapter 1232: All People Support
Chapter 1232: All People Support
Lu Ye and Jiang Fei sat in the room, looking at the lotus pond outside the window.
It didn’t rain today, which is a rare sunny day, but it’s still very uncomfortable.
Lu Ye is old and is about to return home, so he can tolerate the weather. But Jiang Fei, a relatively young person, is very irritable.
The weather is hot and my heart is burning. Looking at the water drops dripping down the wall, I feel a layer of sweat on my body.
He grew up in Jiangnan, but still finds it difficult to adapt to the weather in May and June every year that almost makes mushrooms grow on people's bodies.
The surroundings were hot and humid, and water was dripping down the walls. The dry clothes I changed into in the morning were soaked with sweat in a short while...
"Mr. Lu, the governor--" Jiang Fei stood up and wanted to go out for a walk.
"Sit down." Lu Ye opened his eyes and said, "I'm afraid it will be difficult to leave the Governor's Mansion."
"What?" Jiang Fei was startled and asked in a lost voice, "Why?"
Lu Ye sighed and said, "What are you thinking about? I felt something was wrong when I entered the mansion just now, but there are so many soldiers around that it is difficult to retreat. I am afraid Zhuge Daoming is rebelling."
Jiang Fei subconsciously took a step back, first looked at Lu Ye with a suspicious look, then rushed to the door, only to see that the courtyard and the archway were full of soldiers.
"This..." Jiang Fei's eyes widened and he muttered, "Wen Bao personally served tea just now."
Lu Ye sighed again, too lazy to look at him any longer.
Jiang Sixuan had the ability to know the name of Zhuge Daoming's second daughter, but he was unable to observe the changes in the situation. All his cleverness was spent on women.
"Mr. Lu, what will happen to us?" Jiang Fei sat back and asked anxiously.
"At worst, I'll just die." Lu Ye said, "I'm seventy-three years old this year, and I've lived enough."
Jiang Fei's face turned bitter. He felt that there was a hint of sarcasm in Lu Ye's words.
"What will happen to Jingzhou if the envoy and I are not in the office?" Jiang Fei asked again.
Hearing this, Lu Ye actually thought about it seriously and said, "Wuchang and Xiakou originally had 15,000 elite soldiers. In the past few years, Zhuge Daoming recruited 5,000 new soldiers and trained them. Two months ago, he replaced 27 military officers in a row. He probably has control over most of the Jingzhou soldiers. As for the navy, it's probably about the same."
"As for the counties, that depends on the intentions of the governors. If they are loyal to the court, they may raise an army to resist. If they are eager to join the enemy, they will follow Zhuge Daoming."
"I think the nobles and barbarian chieftains in various places will be in a dilemma and will eventually accept the facts."
"Oh my!" Jiang Fei slapped his thigh anxiously and said, "Why didn't Mr. Lu guard against him?"
"He is the governor-general. It is only natural for him to discuss military affairs with me. How can you not come every time?" Lu Ye said helplessly.
Jiang Fei glanced at him and said, "Mr. Lu doesn't seem to be in a hurry?"
"What if it's urgent? What if it's not urgent?" Lu Ye said, "The situation is like this, it is beyond human power to reverse. What can I do! What can I do!"
Jiang Fei was dejected and stopped asking.
At this point, he really had no time to think about the women of the Zhuge family. His mind was in a mess and he was at a loss.
At this time, the sound of orderly footsteps could be heard in the streets and alleys of Wuchang.
The soldiers in helmets and armor rushed into the governor's mansion, the prefect's mansion, the county government office and other government offices and treasuries one after another.
Shouts, curses and the sounds of weapons clashing came one after another, but they did not last long and soon disappeared into thin air.
The fiercest resistance came from a military camp inside the city, which was home to two thousand soldiers under the command of Governor Lu Ye.
The officer in charge ordered the gate to be blocked and the camp to be defended.
At the same time, he sent someone to climb up the wall and shouted, "Why are you doing this? Are you rebelling?"
"Brothers, we are just following orders. We all serve in the army for a living, so why should we fight to the death? Just surrender." Someone outside responded loudly.
"Envoy Lu has been detained. You have lost your superiors. Who will pay you? Come out. If you are stubborn, we will not be polite."
"The world's general trend has been determined, can't you see clearly? We have fought with the Liang people for many years and have put aside our hatred. You must not make mistakes."
"Why waste time talking to him? Wouldn't it be better to take his head as a military achievement?"
The shouting one after another made the two thousand people in the military camp tremble with fear, and they didn't know what to do for a while.
The people outside failed to persuade them to surrender and soon lost their patience. The two sides fought a melee from day to night until the soldiers from Jingzhou brought wet firewood and ignited it, producing thick smoke that made everyone in the barracks cough constantly. Only then did the battle finally end.
The three thousand county soldiers stationed outside the city also surrendered on May 5th.
The main reason was that they didn't want to fight anymore, and the prefect Jiang Fei was under house arrest. After a stalemate, they opened the camp gates one after another and surrendered by laying down their arms.
The city officials didn't have much to say.
Most people were willing to surrender, even including some officials from Jiangzhou and Yangzhou. The few who were loyal to the Jin court had people to help them look good.
Changing dynasties is never a sentimental thing. Everyone has his or her own choice. Whether the choice is right or wrong is for future generations to judge.
On the eighth day of the fifth month, Shen's troops captured Baling, making it the second county under Jingzhou to surrender after Wuchang.
On the tenth day of May, Changsha County was converted.
On the 11th, Jianxing and Lingling returned to the right path. By the end of May, after the news spread, only Wuling, Guiyang and Hengyang counties in the entire Jingzhou had not surrendered.
On May 22, Zhuge Hui ordered the various counties in Jingzhou to gather troops and besiege these three counties...
******
On May 15th, Shao Xun received the news that Zhuge Hui had returned to the right path.
"The messengers run back and forth every day and are very tired. It's time for you to go to Bianliang." Sima Xiuwei lay on the couch and advised softly.
Shao Xun was decocting medicine at the window. The medicine pot was bubbling with steam and emitting a strong, pungent smell.
He was not paying any attention and just watched the situation. After hearing what Sima Xiuyi said, he said, "Although Wang Yifu is a boaster and has average ability, he has one good point: he knows how to use people. State affairs are not worth my worry. I am only worried about you."
Sima Xiu turned his head away and did not speak for a long time.
Yan and Li, a pair of sisters-in-law, quietly raised their heads and looked at Shao Xun.
Li was young, her eyes were moist, and she was somewhat moved.
Yan secretly spat.
Some of the things this man said came out of his mouth with such sincerity that it seemed as if he was speaking from the bottom of his heart. He probably even fooled himself when he said these words.
"You are good at coaxing people. All the noble ladies are coaxed by your sweet words. Not only are they willing to bear children for you, but you also drag others into the water." After a long time, Sima Xiuwei said softly.
"They are all miserable people. They are devoted to me and have never let me down. I will never let them down." Shao Xun poured the boiled medicine into a bowl and placed it on the window to cool.
Then he walked to the table, wrung out a wet cloth in the washbasin, came to a bamboo mat, and began to wipe it carefully.
"Let's go back to Bianliang." Sima Xiuwei sighed.
"Don't worry." Shao Xun said as he wiped it.
"Your Majesty." Cheng's voice sounded outside the door.
"Come in."
"The prime minister sent an envoy to report that he has raised 6 million hu of military rations." Cheng walked in and said softly.
"So straightforward?" Shao Xun asked casually.
"All the civil and military officials in the court, as well as the scholars in Henan and Hebei, are eagerly waiting for this opportunity, so they are happy to donate military rations." Cheng said, "However, the Prime Minister said frankly that after years of war, the scholars in the world are already poor. After conquering Jiangdong, we should calm down the situation."
"When they heard that they were going to conquer Jiangnan, they stopped complaining and no longer lacked money and food." Shao Xun teased, "In the past, they would complain for a long time if we asked them for a penny or a liter of rice."
The big plan that Shao Xun had drawn up many years ago is finally going to come true.
To be honest, the northern scholars have been waiting for this day for a long time, and they can't wait any longer.
Shao Xun had previously used part of the land in Jiangxia, Jingling and Nanjun to give them benefits, but that was just repayment of the "interest". Only when he gave it to the counties in the south of the Yangtze River was he considered to have repaid the "principal".
If you say that the front line is short of money and food at this time, the northern nobles will do everything they can to get them together, transport them to the Yangtze River, and then force you to fight.
It is a wonder that the war has reached this point.
To put it bluntly, it is a question of the distribution of interests. As the saying goes, those who share the same desire will win. Shao Xun is now on the same front as the northern scholars, and the whole nation (the nobles) support him to continue fighting, fight hard, and fight quickly.
But Wang Laodeng is Wang Laodeng. After expressing his support, he did not forget to give a warning: after conquering Jiangdong, they will rest and recuperate. Their money and food will be used to move south to resettle their clansmen and farmhands, and there will not be much for you to continue squandering on war.
"How should I reply?" Cheng asked.
"Got it." Shao Xun continued wiping the mat.
Cheng was stunned for a moment, but quickly reacted and replied with the three words "I understand."
"Let Zhuge Hui continue to be the governor of Jingzhou and command the military forces of Jingzhou, Jiangzhou, Jiaozhou and Guangzhou." Shao Xun said, "The primary target is Jiangzhou, and troops must be dispatched by early June at the latest. Ningzhou should do its best to pacify the people, and all officials should be retained and no past mistakes should be made. The same applies to Jiaozhou and Guangzhou. I heard that Tao Shiheng died of illness in Jiaozhou, so recommend a new governor. I believe in the talents he recommends."
"The Lu family wants to be pardoned, which is a good idea." Shao Xun said, "Tell Zhang Shuo that at this point, I can't go against the will of the people. The Lu family has so many fields, houses, and farmhands that I don't know how many people are eyeing them. They must be divided up. If Lu Wan surrenders Liyang, I can save his family's lives, but they can't live in Jiangnan anymore. My condition is to move the whole family to Hezhou. It's up to you if you want to."
"Send a separate decree to Yang Qin. Northerners cannot stand the plum rain in the south. If you feel unwell, you can rest on the spot and don't try to be stubborn. Stay in the city when you rest, don't camp in the wild, and try to reduce going out. We will talk about it after we get through this period. We have waited for so many years, I am not in a hurry for these few months."
"All those who crossed the river early will be rewarded generously. The soldiers of the new army fought hard for a long time, and the casualties were particularly heavy. The number of people who crossed the river was counted, and each person was given 100 pieces of silk. If there are sons, one of them will be chosen to inherit his official title. If not, one of their relatives can be adopted to worship and offer incense. Lou Guochang, Shi Zhen, Qian Feng, etc., will be posthumously awarded official titles, and one of their descendants will be chosen to enter the palace to accompany the prince to study and practice martial arts."
"Move the Yellow Head Army's First Battalion, Fifth Battalion, and Black Head Army's Right Battalion to Chen County to assemble. Stay there in the summer to acclimate, and then head south in the fall."
"Xuzhou needs to urge us again. Xuyi is so stubborn that we won't accept its surrender. We must capture it no matter what the cost."
"Tell Su Jun that I have appointed him as the governor of Zhangwu. Give him a reply in mid-June. If he doesn't surrender, I will encircle and destroy him with my entire army, leaving no blade of grass behind."
"That's all. Send it to Bianliang as soon as possible." Shao Xun said as he put the wet cloth into the basin.
Cheng quickly finished writing it down, bowed and left.
Sima Xiuwei looked at Shao Xun quietly, without much emotion on his pale face.
The Sima family was on the verge of collapse, but she didn't feel sad at all.
The mat dried quickly. Shao Xun came over, picked her up gently, put her gently on the mat, and opened the window for her.
Maybe that's the reason.
(End of this chapter)