A Good Landlord in the Tang Dynasty: Emperor Yuan Cong

Chapter 902 Strong Man

Yuandangwan Port.

A long and narrow bay in the west of Ludao Island is named after its shape resembles a long bamboo.

At this time, Yuandangwan Port was busy and at the first level of war preparation.

On Foxtail Mountain at the mouth of the bay, the Red Fort seems to be coated with gold and shines in the rising sun. This Red Fort is condescending, overlooking the port.

"Mr. Sir, three hundred tooth soldiers are stationed at the Red Fort to ensure that nothing goes wrong."

Wu Huaiyu shook his head, "Although the Red Fort is small, it is easy to defend and difficult to attack from a high position. We just need to leave a hundred tooth soldiers here and call in some young men from the island to assist in the defense.

The other two hundred tooth soldiers, as well as the more than a thousand sailors and fishermen on board the ships in the port, should be used in more useful places. "

Wu Huaiyu pointed on the map.

"These 1,200 people are divided into two groups. Six hundred people on one side are stationed in the port town, and the other 600 people are stationed in Yuanshazhou."

Yuanshazhou is more than a mile away from Lujiang Island in the Lujiang Strait. Before this, it was a desert island, covering an area of ​​nearly 3,000 acres.

There is a sea cave reef at the southwest end of the island. It is struck by the waves and makes a sound like a drum.

"Everyone, some of you are merchants passing by, some are merchants operating here, and of course some are clerks and apprentices, as well as hired workers who come to this merchant village, as well as customers who work here to cultivate wasteland.

But no matter who you are, the current situation is that the commander of Shanyuequ in Longxi County on the bank of Liuying River has rebelled, and even led his troops to attack.

There is still rice in the fields that is ripe and hasn’t been taken back yet.

Suddenly, a large group of elite soldiers wearing armor and cloaks appeared in front, and then Mr. Wu came.

Our Ludao Island is not big, and there are not many people there. Although I have sent ships to Zhangzhou and Quanzhou to report news and mobilize reinforcements, water from far away cannot quench our thirst nearby.

We have to fight this first battle ourselves first.

This Ludao is our home. With our hard work and our relatives, we have no retreat. We must fight, fight for ourselves, and fight for our families. "

This island is now a private island bought by Wu Huaiyu, who built a manor. The plan is that after the Lugang trade rises in the future, this 3,000-acre Gulangyu Island, which is only 600 meters away from Lugang, can be developed into a leisure and accommodation area.

"quiet,"

Brother Seng was in a very complicated mood at this time. He wanted to make a contribution, but he couldn't worry about the family of Chun Sansanniang in Wanhoutun, a few miles away.

"I also know that it is the time of autumn harvest, and there are still many late rice fields on the island waiting to be harvested and dried. It has been a hard season and only the last few days are left.

Wu Huaiyu heard many people shouting to go home from a distance.

He came to the crowd, reined in his horse, and said, "Don't be impatient. If you have anything to say, just tell me."

The manager of the recruiting office was dissatisfied and yelled to stop.

Wu Huaiyu came over on horseback at this time. After making pre-war arrangements, he began to patrol. Fortunately, Ludao was not big, Yuandangwan Port Wharf, and then a small town at the wharf.

There is only one martial manor on the island, and it can be used as a temporary defensive camp.

There are also about a dozen villages on Ludao.

"What's the noise about?"

"You go to the Red Fort to help defend it,"

He came to rent a stroller today, and his family is still waiting for him to return.

And now we have to dry and harvest the grain every day. It would be impossible without his strong labor force.

The steward came forward and quickly explained that many strong men were unwilling to be called to fight.

The Red Fort on Foxtail Mountain behind the bay,

Two ferries, and the Gulangyu Manor across the Lujiang River.

Brother Seng was taken to the dock to register.

Name, place of origin, village, age, etc. are inquired and registered one by one, and then assigned.

At the registration office, many of the young people who were brought here were very anxious. Some were afraid of the war, and some were worried about their families. They all gathered together and chatted loudly, and their voices gradually became louder and louder.

Many people want to go home.

I also know that for businessmen, workers, fishermen, craftsmen, and farmers, it is not your duty to fight, but the current situation is special,"

Wu Huaiyu glanced at everyone, and everyone was silent after hearing this.

But the worries in everyone’s hearts are still there.

Brother Seng finally plucked up the courage to take two steps forward and asked loudly, "I am willing to fight for my homeland, but I want to go back to meet my wife and children and say goodbye, is that okay?"

The conscripted steward shouted, "This is a war, you're kidding. The thieves are going down the river. It's only a hundred and twenty miles from Longxi to here, and it only takes half a day. How can I have time for you to go home and say goodbye?"

It's not too late to go home after this battle is over. "

Brother Seng blushed. He wanted to say it but held back. He sighed and finally lowered his head. Yes, this is a war.

Wu Huaiyu looked at this strong man, and then at the other people who also had their heads lowered.

Morale is low, and that’s bad.

He swung his riding crop and the sound was clear and crisp.

There was a snap, waking everyone up.

"What is the name of this strong man?"

Brother Seng raised his head and said, "My name is Liu Lingbao, nicknamed Brother Seng. I am from Jiangzhou. I was recruited by the Wu family to work on the island to work in the fields. I have a pregnant wife and mother at home, two younger brothers and sisters, and two daughters and a son.

There are still more than 20 acres of confiscated rice in the field. I came here this morning to rent a chicken bus to transport the rice,"

Brother Seng didn't hide it, nor was it necessary to hide it. The island was so big and it was all Mr. Wu's family property. He could find it out with just a quick check.

Huaiyu nodded to him,

"Brother Seng, your burden is quite heavy. You are the only one who supports the family of eight." "You go out and take the chicken bus home with you."

"For those who are like Brother Seng, who are the only breadwinner or the only child in the family, they can go back."

"The rest of the young people will go back to say goodbye to their families after registration, and then come back immediately to help with the defense."

"Whether you are a businessman, a farmer, or a craftsman, you will receive subsidies for this war, and you will be rewarded for your meritorious service. Farmers don't have to worry about the confiscated crops at home and the grains that are too late to dry. After this war, we will organize help to harvest them. , if the weather is bad and the weather is rainy, I will compensate everyone."

······

Wu Huaiyu rode on a tall horse and spoke a sentence loudly, which made the young men on the dock who were restless just now feel incredible.

The rebels are about to attack, and a war is about to begin. There are only 300 military personnel on the island. At this time, it is natural to temporarily recruit young and strong people to join the war and assist in defense.

But now the Prime Minister is actually willing to let these young men go home to say goodbye to their families, and even mentioned so many conditions for compensation.

When Brother Seng heard this, he was also stunned on the spot.

Thinking of the thirty years I lived in Jiangzhou, I felt a little unable to recover.

After a while, Brother Seng stepped forward and said, "Mr. Wu, I, my Brother Seng are willing to join and fight against the rebels together. I, I am willing to contribute."

"You are the only one who supports your family of eight. You should go home, but you must also be more vigilant. If rebels come to the village, you must protect your family."

"I will also send people to patrol here. If thieves really break in, I will send people to the village to notify you to move to the town or castle."

Brother Seng's face was red, but he was full of enthusiasm at this moment and insisted on joining the defensive battle. He said that as long as they defeated the bandit army, his family on the island would be safe. He could finish the battle quickly without delaying his return home to harvest rice.

Many other people who were originally the breadwinners of the family or the only son stepped out, but now they have come back after listening to Brother Seng's words.

Seeing this, Wu Huaiyu stopped trying to persuade them and asked the steward to record their names.

"Everyone, go back quickly. Don't delay."

After thinking about it, Wu Huaiyu said again, "Although you are guarding your own home, I am still very grateful for your bravery and sincerity. I will give each of you fifty yuan and take it back to your wife and children."

Fifty yuan can buy one stone of rice in Chang'an, but two stones of rice here, which is the output of one acre of late rice.

Brother Seng received a bunch of money,

They are all Kaiyuan Tongbao, new coins cast by Shaozhou Qian Supervisor, of excellent quality, and the inscriptions on them were written by Wu Huaiyu on orders.

Holding this bunch of big money, Brother Seng felt mixed and very excited.

He pushed the rented car and hurried to Jiawanhoutun. His village was just behind Yuandangwan, so it was called Wanhoutun, less than ten miles away from the pier.

The pier suddenly became deserted.

"Ms. sir, this thief will arrive at any time. Now if we suddenly let them all go home, I'm afraid many of them won't come back."

Wu Huaiyu smiled,

It is indeed possible that some people may not come back, but such people are definitely very few.

"Don't worry, I believe that 99% of the people will come back soon. We are not recruiting them to fight Goguryeo, conquer the Turks, or conquer Linyi. They are just here to guard their homes and resist the rebels. Everyone will not fail to come .”

Just like the man from Jiangzhou named Brother Seng just now, he had been allowed to go home without participating in the war, but in the end he took the initiative to ask for a fight.

In less than two quarters of an hour, Brother Seng returned to Wanhoutun.

Smoke billows from cooking in the village.

Many people are cooking.

Chun Sannian Niang had already picked up several loads of millet to go to the drying field. When she came back with the empty basket, she saw Brother Seng rushing back from the dock.

Covered in sweat,

He actually trotted back carrying the chicken bus,

"Alang, why did you carry the car back? It broke down on the road?"

"It's not bad, it's good."

"What about that?"

"Something happened. It's urgent. I'm coming back in a hurry. I don't want to waste time pushing the cart."

Brother Seng put the cart in the yard, then took his wife and quickly told him about the situation at the dock. The Huang family in Longxi County, Liuyingjiang, had rebelled, and was about to lead his troops to attack Ludao.

Mr. Wu has urgently recruited the young men on the island to guard the island.

"I tell you, you have to go back immediately."

"Listen to me, the thieves may come at any time. Don't go to the fields to harvest rice today. I will leave in a moment. After you have eaten, quickly hide the millet collected from home in the ground, and then you will also Hurry to the dock market to take shelter, or go hide in the mountains,"

Chun Sanniang panicked when she heard this.

Holding her husband's hand and not daring to let go, a woman would eventually panic when encountering such a thing.

"Don't worry, I don't think anything will happen. You have to know that Wu Xianggong is on this island. He hasn't left yet, which shows that rebels are not terrible. What kind of person is Wu Xianggong? The adopted son of the door god and the student of the military god. , he is also recognized as the God of War in Zhenguan. He destroyed the capital of Liang Dynasty by one man. He also defeated the Turkic army of 200,000 Jieli with 30,000 men at Yehuling. Yinshan Baidao even captured Jieli alive. In Lingnan, six prefectures and ninety Among the savages from the Six Prefectures and Thirty-six Jisu Prefectures, who can rival Mr. Wu?"

He comforted his wife, but still told them to hide the food, and then go up the mountain to hide. There are many mountains on the island. Although the mountains are not big, they are more hidden and safer than the villages.

"When the rebels are defeated, I will come back to you."

Chun Sansanniang's eyes were red. She didn't want Brother Seng to go to war, and she was worried about the upcoming war disaster. But in the end, she nodded. She knew that the man couldn't help himself. If he left, the whole family would be gone. Count on her.

"Hurry in and eat, and then leave when you're full."

(End of this chapter)