Late Tang Dynasty Floating Life

Chapter 466 Wolf

Xiaojiangkou is no longer just a village, but two cities with horns.

It took more than half a year for Zhe Zongben to conscript conscripts from three counties, build a military city that can accommodate 15 soldiers, and a warehouse city that can store [-] hu of grain—currently more than [-] hu of grain is stored.

The [-] Zhe family soldiers brought over by Zhe Zongben and the [-] Junzhou soldiers were reorganized and reorganized, with half of the Zhan and half of the auxiliary soldiers. Shao Shude personally bestowed the title "Wei Sheng Army".

Of course, the Weisheng army has more than 4000 people.

Zhe Zongben had already ordered that the five thousand Fengxiang Army, which was transferring grain and grass between Guanzhong and Shangzhou, go south to Junzhou and be incorporated into the Weisheng Army.

With the current strength alone, we can only make small troubles in Xiangzhou area, and we can't make any big scenes.

Nine thousand soldiers, if it was a wartime, would probably consume nearly 20 hu of grain a year.Counting war horses and draft animals, it would cost more than [-] yuan.Last year, Junzhou only collected more than [-] hu in land tax for grain and beans, which was just enough to pay [-] sergeants a fixed monthly ration. There might be a surplus of [-] to [-] hu, and there was still a gap of [-] hu in grain.

In terms of goods, it is even more insufficient.

To put it bluntly, Junzhou cannot afford to support so many troops.

The solution to the Zongben is also very simple, loot!

The Zhejia army is different from the general army. The Yang family and Wang family in Guanbei may be somewhat similar to them.The clan is the backbone and absorbs peripheral personnel. This kind of army has strong cohesion and can tolerate poor treatment. The sergeants are not so easy to mutiny.

At that time in the Northern Song Dynasty, Fugu was the town of Zhejia, fighting against the Liao Kingdom and Xixia.Of course, the Northern Song court would reward some money and food, but the treatment of the Zhejia Army was not comparable to that of the Western Army and the like, and they were very poor.

However, the Zhe family can still control the army, and it depends on the cohesion of the clan.The army looted everywhere, would not become wild, and was willing to obey, which was very different from the general army of feudal towns.

But this way of running and training troops is not easy to replicate.

First of all, for a family to be prosperous, there must be thousands of people in the main family and branches, right?The men in these thousands of mouths are officers and backbone seeds.

The second is to be martial.He has practiced martial arts since childhood, is proficient in all kinds of weapons, and understands various tactics and tactics. He is not afraid of death and dares to fight.

Third, the cohesion must be strong. The governance of a big family is not an easy job, and requires the wisdom and skill of the leader.

To achieve these three points, a frontier wealthy family can be regarded as initially formed.If you want to continue to improve, you need to do more meticulous work. The foundation of Zhejia's more than 200 years of operation cannot be underestimated.

This army, to put it bluntly, if the Zhe family breaks with Shao Shude, the army will only go with the Zhe family, and they will rebel against it.

The children of the Zhe family who served in the Shuofang army may still have their own standpoints, and they may not rebel, but the Zhe family army will really do this.

For Zhejia, Shao Shude's attitude is contradictory.

I want to take advantage of it and take precautions, but for now, the relationship between the two parties is relatively harmonious.

After the Zhe family moved some family members to Fengxiang Mansion, the Yang family rose quietly in Linzhou. If it was said that Shao Shude's approval and acquiescence were not included in the influence of the Zhe family's remnant forces, no one would believe it.

The Yang family is very favored now!
Yang Hongwang became the envoy of the Feixiong Army, Yang Anji served as the governor of Fengzhou, Yang Jue served in the Duhu Mansion, and his family sent two daughters from the direct line to serve Shao Shude, almost like a small Zhe family.

Zhe Zongben is also a fox who has practiced for thousands of years, so of course he can clearly see the current situation.

He admired his son-in-law's methods very much.In Linzhou, the words of the Zhe family may not be easy to use, and the Yang family has not seized all the power. Local affairs are decided by the governor appointed by the shogunate.

The relationship between Zhe and Shao is generally relatively close.

If the son-in-law doesn't guard against Zhejia, Zhezong thinks there is something wrong.Since the Northern Dynasties, there have been not one or two cases where relatives and powerful ministers usurped power. If you don't have this political instinct, then you are obviously not someone who can entrust your family's future.

"When I'm old, I have to fight for my son-in-law. If my grandson is treated badly, it's his mother's fault!" Zhe Zongben joked with several clan nephews, and asked: "The army is ready!" ?”

"Father Hui Ji, everything is ready and ready to go at any time!" Someone responded.

"Uncle, the county magistrate of Gucheng sent someone in private, willing to deliver [-] hu of grain, I've lost my nerve." Another person said.

"Haha!" Everyone laughed.

Gucheng is a county in Xiangzhou, very close to Xiaojiangkou, and was the most plundered.

The county magistrate was also quick-witted, and he came up with the trick of spending money to buy peace.Zhe Zongben agreed, because it was no different from collecting taxes.

Two thousand infantry and three hundred cavalry have already lined up in the open space outside the village.

Surrounded by his entourage, Zhe Zongben walked along the only street.

There are many buildings on both sides of the street, including armory inspections, public houses, stables, warehouses and even some houses. These are the residences assigned to generals, but they have no family members.

The Zhejia army went south to Junzhou, and many of them were unmarried. After conquering Junzhou, some soldiers married wives, and most of their families were settled in Junzhou City.There are a thousand Weisheng troops guarding the city, so they can manage the city, and the other two counties can manage themselves, and they can just make offerings.

Overall, Reigns is still a bit weak.

There is a sheep and horse wall outside the military city, where some goats and black pigs are raised, and war horses are also fostered here.

The city god was built outside the sheep and horse wall, and water was poured into it. There are two suspension bridges in the east and one in the west to communicate with the inside and outside.Near the West Suspension Bridge, there is also a pier that can accommodate eight ships at the same time. The throughput is not large, but it is barely enough.

After getting out of the suspension bridge, Zhe Zongben looked back at the military city, and told the remaining generals: "When the army is going out, you must always be prepared and not be careless. There are still places to be built in the fortress. Cangcheng There is a master over there, and as soon as he has time, he will build it and finish it as soon as possible."

"Cousin (father's cousin), don't worry, there will be no delay." The first general replied.

Zhe Zongben nodded, then got on his horse.The soldiers carried the banner and fluttered in the wind.

After a little mobilization, he rode away from Xiaojiangkou at [-] paces, descended the Han River, and went straight to Gucheng County by land.

A few days later, the army arrived outside Gucheng County, and the county magistrate Jingdao sent people out of the city to negotiate.

Jingdao is a descendant of Wai Lang Jingyu, a member of the military department of the Wenzong Dynasty. He served as the commander of Gucheng for more than two years, and his level is so-so, but he is not a bad person. few.

"Let Jingdao come out to see me." Zhe Zongben said arrogantly while riding on the horse.

The envoy was the jailer in Gucheng County, and he was a little embarrassed when he heard the words, and said, "General Zhe, I'm afraid this is inappropriate. It's a big mistake to transport food in private, so hurry up and leave after you get the food. It's all newly harvested." If the summer grain is really insufficient, there will be tens of thousands of dendrobium after the autumn harvest, and there will be no more. Jing Ling couldn't bear to see the people dying, so he made such a bad move. Gucheng is still a county in Xiangzhou after all."

"Your envoy is as cunning as that Jingdao." Zhe Zongben scolded with a smile: "When I defeat Zhao Kuangning, what will I say then?"

"If you defeat Zhao Kuangning, why should we hesitate? It's all about surrendering from Kaicheng." The jailer said very bachelorly.

Zhao's father and son, who came from the former Ministry of Qin Zongquan, did not have a good impression of them, local people in Xiangzhou.

If an external force like Zhe Zongben can defeat the Cai thief, what else is there to say?Just drop it.

Shannan Dongdao, unlike the three towns of Yan, Yun, and Xu, has localized government troops, prefecture and county soldiers, and united soldiers at all levels. Their own armed forces have been wiped out by the Cai thieves, and there is no soil for separatism. It can only be conquered by various foreign forces.

If Zhao Kuangning is given another ten years to let these Cai thieves gradually localize and rebuild the armed forces of Shannan Dongdao, maybe he can try to separate the regime, but it really doesn't work now.

They vote for whoever is strong, which is very realistic and an effective means of self-protection.

"Forget it, I'll let you wait this time. Bring your own boat, and send the grain and grass to Xiaojiangkou, and someone will deliver it there." After finishing speaking, Zhe Zongben flicked his whip, and the horse galloped forward.

The entire army moved forward, heading straight for Xiangyang.

……

In the Hanyin post in the west of Xiangyang City, Zhao Kuangning had just sent away Lei Man's envoy.

Lei Manzhe is also the leader of the barbarians in Wuling Cave in Langzhou.

He had a good relationship with Zhou Yue in his early years and often hunted together.During the chaotic period, the two gathered thousands of barbarians, named "Native Army", and promoted Lei Man as commander.

When Gao Pian served as Jingnan Jiedu envoy, he once recruited Lei Man under his command and used barbarian troops to attack the nest thieves.After moving to Huainan, Lei Man also followed.

At this stage, Lei Man has been greatly improved, and he has learned a lot of professional military knowledge, including his subordinates who have also undergone some training in the military.

After escaping from Guangling, they gathered a group of barbarians, trained them into an army, killed the governor of Langzhou, and occupied the city.Then he attacked Lizhou, and his power was very strong.

Li Kan, who is also the Jiedushi of Kuixia and Jingnan towns, has always regarded Lei Man as a thorn in his flesh.

After failing to enter Sichuan in the west, he had already given up the idea of ​​developing there. Recently, he moved his place to Jiangling Mansion and was ready to attack Lei Man.

Lei Man was a little panicked, so he sent envoys to go to Xiangyang by detour, and asked him to attack Jiangling Mansion.

In the end, Zhao Kuangning did not agree to Lei Man's request, disappointing the other party's envoy.

In fact, he is still somewhat interested in Jingnan Town for no other reason than he wants to find a way out.

The external situation facing Shannan Dongdao is far from as good as imagined, and the main pressure comes from the Xuanwu Army in the north.

Zhao Kuangning was not stupid, she had already seen that after Zhu Quanzhong conquered the three towns of Tianping, Taining, and Wuning, he was bound to go south in a big way, either in Huainan, or in the east of Shannan, and even annexed the two towns.

There were only [-] yamen troops in Shannan Dongdao, and some local generals were recruited with the Cai soldiers left behind by my father's sweep of Shannan Dongdao and Jingnan Second Town five years ago. Although five years of peace have passed, they still have combat effectiveness.

It's just that Zhu Quanzhong's prestige is too great, and there are many soldiers and horses. If he meets the enemy head-on, he probably won't be able to defeat him.

This is a hungry wolf!

To be on the safe side, it is best to annex Jingnan Town and have a stable rear area so that we can deal with Zhu Quanzhong.

But things happened unexpectedly.

Fengxiang Jiedu sent Zhe Zongben to attack Jin and Shang under the pretext of Feng Xing, the governor of Junzhou, and led his army to the south. He defeated Junzhou soldiers in Shangjin County, captured and killed [-] people, and Feng Xingzhen also died in the battle.

This is not enough, and they rectified their troops in Junzhou, went down to Xiaojiangkou to set up a stronghold, and went east from time to time to raid places, which is very abominable.

This is also a hungry wolf!
After discussing with his staff, Zhao Kuangning basically analyzed Zhezongben's attempt to go south, which was to annex Shannan Dongdao, and then go north to attack Ru, Cai and other states, threatening Zhu Quanzhong's southwest, and cooperate with Shaanxi's offensive against Henan.

One south and one north, attack the four prefectures of Luo, Ru, Cai, and Xu. After all loyalty, there will never be a peaceful day!

But this kind of strategy is bound to step on the corpse of Shannan Dongdao, how can it be tolerated?

Must punch hard!

(End of this chapter)