Late Tang

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The old rule of rotation in the political affairs hall has been cancelled, and all prime ministers must come to the hall every day.

All Henan military reports will be sent to Chang'an urgently using [-] miles.Li Xuan now has to carefully read the memorials sent up below every day. For the memorials sent up by the four provinces of Henan, Hebei and Northeast Huainan, there is no need to paste yellow reminders.The memorials of these four towns will be submitted to the Emperor, the Political Affairs Hall, and the Privy Council as soon as they are delivered to Chang'an.

Yang Fugong of the Privy Council, Prime Minister and Minister of the Ministry of War's eyes were bloodshot, and they reported to the emperor wearily but firmly: "The defense line of Weishui is the responsibility of the towns and cities. The imperial court and the towns in Henan have assembled Taining, Probation, Zhongwu, Xuanwu, Zhedong, Zhexi, Jiangxi, and Huainan have a total of [-] soldiers and horses defending, and we will never let the grasshoppers cross the line of defense."

There are eight towns, but the so-called [-] soldiers and horses include even civilian husbands.The eight towns are on the Weishui defense line, and the real soldiers are no more than [-].

However, behind the Weishui line of defense, there is also a defense line of Dongdu, where there are more than [-] troops from various towns assembled by Cui Anqian, Zhang Zimian, Du Wei and others.

Although the Surabaya line of defense was breached and Huang Chao had already crossed the Huaihe River, the belated dispatch of troops by the two generals Li Jing and Gao Pian still made the whole court full of confidence in the victory of destroying Huang Chao.

Shi Pu, the Jiedu envoy of the Probation Army who was stationed in Xuzhou, squeezed out the former Jiedu envoy Zhi Xiang not long ago, and now he has just been awarded the position of Jiedu envoy by the imperial court.

When I saw the uninvited guests from the town [***] on Yuzhou Island opposite Haizhou suddenly dispatched troops and stationed in the three cities of Qushan, Shuyang and Xiapi.Shi Pu was not only not unhappy at all, but was very excited.

As soon as he was appointed as the military governor of the Probation Army, Huang Chao crossed the Huaihe River and occupied Linhuai, Sizhou, an important city under his command. This was a big blow to him.If Li Jing and Gao Pian didn't send troops, Huang Chao would have to use this as a basis. He hasn't had enough of the position of Jiedu Envoy, so how can Huang Chao snatch it?

However, after the Anshi Rebellion, the Probation Army has always been a truly proud soldier.

The Probation Army is one of the most famous military master groups in Datang.If it is unreasonable, it will be three-pointed, and the army will mutiny at every turn.

The Xuzhou area has been an important military strategic place connecting the south and the north since ancient times. Especially after the outbreak of the Anshi Rebellion, the land of Xuzhou was very important to Datang.

However, since the establishment of Jiedushi, there has been no peace here.At the beginning of its establishment, the imperial court specially awarded the Wuning Army, which controlled the four prefectures of Xu, Si, Hao and Su.

The Wuning Army is sandwiched between Ziqing Town and Huainan Town, and it has always been an area that the Tang Dynasty attached great importance to and stabilized.However, not long after the establishment of the Wuning Army, it began to enter a period of incomplete control by the imperial court. Almost every ten years, a Jiedu envoy would be driven away by force, and there were more minor mutinies.

However, 18 years ago, after Wang Shi served as the envoy of the Wuning Army, he massacred the domineering Wuning Army, almost killing all of them. The imperial court therefore abolished the Wuning Army, and only 3000 people remained in the end.

After the abolition of the festival in Wuning, many soldiers became grassroots bandits and combined with private salt thieves in Jianghuai. Finally, the Xuzhou garrison army stationed in Guilin, composed of these thieves and salt dealers, killed officials and rebelled because they could not return after the garrison period. This uncovered the Pang Xun Rebellion in Xuzhou that swept the southeast during Yizong's reign.

After the Xuzhou Rebellion was put down, the imperial court felt that Xuzhou's military strength was empty, and finally built a new Jiedushi, named it the Probation Army, hoping that this place could be influenced by the imperial court and become the central government's help.However, eight years after the establishment of the Probation Army, the court still failed to really control Xu Si.

Today's Jiedu envoy, Shi Pu, reported a mutiny, expelled the original Jiedu envoy Zhi Xiang, and boarded the local army leader of the probation army Jiedu envoy.

Although it controls the Probation Army, this newly-built Probation Army is not strong. Compared with Li Jing in the north and Gao Pian in the south, it is really too weak.

When he saw Li Jing dispatching troops to his territory, although he felt a little unwilling, he was powerless and did not dare to show any dissatisfaction.Instead, he readily withdrew the troops from the three cities and handed over the city to Zhen [***].

Shi Pu watched Li Jing and Gao Pian dispatch troops, and the imperial court also mobilized the towns, and for a while believed that Huang Chao would be defeated this time.

In order to be able to make some contributions, so as to prevent the future court from looking back and liquidating with him the previous rebellion and driving away Zhixiang, Shi Pu was very active and sent [-] troops to the Weishui defense line again.Of course, it would be a lie to say that Shi Pu had no selfish intentions. Most of the tens of thousands of troops sent out several times were probationary troops not under his control. A dissatisfied probationary general.

Sending them to Lushui can not only please the emperor and the court, but also kill people with a knife and eliminate dissidents.Even if these people can come back alive in the future, using this period of time, Shi Pu has almost completed the control of the probation army.

Although the three thousand probation troops were reluctant, they had no choice but to leave Xuzhou reluctantly and all the way west.

When passing by Xuzhou, the leading general said to his subordinates: "Xue Jieshuai, the Jiedu envoy of the Zhongwu Army in Xuzhou City, was also the commander of our probation army. It just happened to happen, so let's go to Xuzhou City to rest for a while. "

Xue Neng was the former Jieshuai of the Probation Army, and the predecessor of Zhixiang, Shi Pu's predecessor.

When Xue Neng, who was warming the fire in the mansion, reciting poems and drinking tea, heard that the former probation army passing by Ruzhou wanted to go to the city to rest, he agreed without hesitation.He also knew the general of the probation army who came to lead the army, and he could be regarded as his old department.Now meeting an old friend in a foreign land is a joy in life.At the moment, he felt that their request was reasonable, so he ordered the city gate to be opened and a stadium in the city to be vacated for the soldiers of Xuzhou.

Xue Neng is still very enthusiastic about these old ministries, not only welcoming them into the city, but also serving hot meals with delicious food and drinks.After having a drink with the generals of the probation army, Xue Neng went home to sleep in peace.

But just as Xue Neng left, the group of probation soldiers took advantage of the alcohol and started to scratch.First, he scolded Shi Pu for killing people with a knife, and sent them to Ruzhou to get rid of them with the help of Huang Chao.Cursing and cursing, someone began to scold Xue Neng again, thinking that the scale of Xue Neng's reception was too bad, Xuzhou was such a prosperous city, and they were allowed to sleep in the stadium, and the dinner connected to the wind was not as good as imagined. , and no rewards.

So grumpy, in the end, someone simply called the Xuzhou government to ask for a reward.

As a result, this group of probationers was half-drunk, and when they arrived on the street with weapons, they quickly turned into robbery in the street, and some even took the opportunity to moleste and annihilate women.

The city of Xuzhou was suddenly in chaos. Xue Neng was awakened from his sleep, climbed to the top of the inner city, and asked the reason for the rebellion.Xue Neng saw the group of old subordinates wake up from the wine scared by knives, and he almost responded to the old subordinates below.

After tossing around like this for most of the night, the rebellious soldiers of the probation army were almost sober, and the chaos gradually subsided.

The rioters went back to sleep satisfied with all the trophies they had snatched.

The soldiers and horses in Huazhou City were heading towards Lushui under the leadership of General Zhou Ji of the Zhongwu Army.But Zhou Ji didn't care much about this task. With the example of Li Jing and Gao Pian in front, why should he learn from Cao Quanzhen?Therefore, even though they set off very early, Zhou Ji's troops walked for a few days, but they were still near Xuzhou, not too far away.

As a result, he soon received news from his servant that the probation army was making trouble in Xuzhou.

Zhou Ji and the family members of his subordinates were also in Xuzhou City. He was angry at first when he heard the news, but after a while, he couldn't help realizing that this was actually an excellent opportunity.

Didn't Shi Pu, who was in the probation army, mutinied and ascended to the position of Jieshuai? If he can do this, why can't he?

A soldier who doesn't want to be a general is not a good soldier, and a general who doesn't want to be a Jiedushi is naturally not a good general.

Zhou Ji is a good general who wants to be a Jiedu envoy. With a bit of excitement, he immediately ordered, "Go back to Xuzhou and teach this group of probationers who bully our brothers and sisters in the loyal military army." Of course, the probation army made chaos , should mainly be attributed to Xue Neng's eating inside and outside.

Under Zhou Ji's instigation, the officers and soldiers of the Xuzhou army who were worried about their families in the city immediately became angry.They quickly turned around, and in the second half of the night, Zhou Ji led the army and rushed back to Xuzhou City with lightning speed.

The Zhongwu army is fighting on Xuzhou's own field, taking advantage of the right time, place and people, and it is a surprise attack.

Therefore, this battle was simply a one-sided massacre.

None of the three thousand probationers who were still drunk and asleep were spared.

After killing all the probation army, Zhou Ji incited the soldiers to go directly to the commander's mansion, asking Xue Neng to come out and give an explanation.

Xue Neng had a bad feeling when he heard that Zhou Ji led his troops back to the city.He took his family and fled overnight in a carriage, but was caught up by the cavalry sent by Zhou Ji on the way, and the whole family was killed.

After killing Xue Neng, Zhou Ji couldn't wait and logically proclaimed himself the queen of the Zhongwu Army, and wrote to the imperial court to ask for the title.

However, the Zhongwu Army has three states under its jurisdiction, Xuzhou, Chenzhou, and Caizhou.And what Xue Neng controls now is just Xuzhou.

Qin Zongquan, who was in Caizhou, learned of the mutiny in Xuzhou, discussed with Sun Ru, and in the name of countering the rebellion, assembled his troops and horses, raided the governor of Caizhou, and then appointed himself the governor.

At the same time, after hearing the news of the mutiny, the military leaders in Chenzhou did not accept Zhou Ji's jurisdiction at the same time.Historically, Chenzhou was originally controlled by the Zhao Ji brothers, the military leaders of Chenzhou.But now the whole Zhao family has moved to Dengzhou.But Zhao Ji left, so there will naturally be someone else to replace him.

When Cui Anqian was in the Zhongwu Army, he established the Zhongwu Eight Capitals of the Yellow Head Army. Although Cui Anqian was later transferred to the court, the Eight Capitals still became the main force of the Zhongwu Army.At this time, the eight capitals were stationed in Chenzhou.

After the news of the mutiny came, Lu Yanhong, the boss of the eight capitals, was cruel, and after discussing with the other seven capitals, he followed suit and drove away the governor of Chenzhou. Lu Yanhong became the governor of Chenzhou .The seven brothers below each made a small fortune and divided up the treasury of Chenzhou.

In a blink of an eye, the Zhongwu Army was divided into three, the Caizhou faction, the Chenzhou faction, and the Xuzhou faction, with the state as a town of soldiers and horses.

Qi Kerang, commander of the Taining Army Jiedu envoy of Zhuzhen who was sitting on the Weishui defense line, couldn't believe the news. The Zhongwu mutiny, Xue Neng was killed, and the Zhongwu Army was divided into three, each occupying one state.This news was like a bolt from the blue, leaving Zeke stunned.

After this change, the Zhongwu Army, the main force of the Weishui Defense Line, has been divided into three.

At this time, it can be said that Zhou Ji, Qin Zongquan and other generals are already in rebellion.It is already unsafe for Qi Kerang and the troops from several other towns to stay on the territory of the Zhongwu Army.No one knows if Zhou Ji will continue to come and kill the other probationers, or if he will simply rebel!

After thinking about it, Qi Kerang didn't dare to stay in Lushui any longer. He reported to Dongdu and Chang'an, and led the Taining army to retreat that night.

Early the next morning, soldiers and horses from other towns on the Lushui defense line suddenly discovered that the defense commander Qi Kerang Jieshuai and his Taining army had all disappeared.Then the news of the mutiny of the Zhongwu Army came out, and the soldiers and horses in the towns were shocked, but they all followed suit.

In the twinkling of an eye, the original 3 soldiers, tens of thousands of young and strong auxiliary soldiers, and as many as 10 people have been abandoned in the blink of an eye! (To be continued.)