The Emperor ordered Zhao Tang

Chapter 90 Look at Wu Gou

"I looked at the Wu hook and patted the railings, but no one understood my intention to climb up the mountain." The night was dark and the weather was not good. Looking at the misty drizzle in the palace gardens, the sage felt something in his heart.

Zhu Xiewusi sat on the edge of the bed with disheveled hair, and slowly put on his clothes: "It's raining heavily on our way to Xingfeng. I guess the soldiers are worried about the hardships and are rebellious."

August is not over yet, September is just around the corner, and the plum rain has arrived. It has been more than a month. Secondly, Xingfeng has a complex terrain, with cliffs thousands of feet high, and the mountains are full of clouds and fog. It is extremely steep and deep. This combat environment is very annoying for the soldiers. And the army will not be in chaos just because the commander is Li Keyong, Zhu Quanzhong, Qin Zongquan or anyone else. But Xingfeng and the two states cannot be ignored. If you miss this opportunity, it will be difficult to fight again when they have settled their internal affairs.

"Alas." Zhu Xiewusi sighed. My father was defeated at Chiri Ridge and Youyun, with heavy casualties, but he was still able to maintain the situation. On the other hand, my husband won Qishan, Meibize, and Changchun Palace, all of which were battles with more than 10,000 people, and shocked Guanzhong for a while, but he still didn't dare to lose once. This is the difference in control. There is no other way except to endure it with time.

"A thousand ships pass by the sunken boat, and a thousand trees bloom in front of the dead tree." Zhu Xiewusi hugged the saint from behind, leaned on his shoulders and encouraged him.

"Don't worry, I'm very tough." The saint stroked her face and looked into her eyes. "I've been fighting with people all day in the court. When I'm not attending government affairs, I'm either feasting, attending military drills, or going out of town to look after the farmers. I often neglect my wife."

"This is fate, and it is beyond our control. Besides, you treat me very well, and I have no regrets." Zhu Xiewusi stroked the saint's rough hands, and his tone could not hide his worry: "Zhu'er and the others were slaves bought by my grandfather when they were young. They have served my family for more than 20 years, grew up with me, and are loyal to me. You must trust them absolutely. If something unexpected happens, Zhu'er and the others will keep you safe."

"If Xingfeng is really difficult to attack, just come back." She said again.

The emperor's sanctity had been severely damaged by the Jingchao Rebellion and the invasion of Chang'an by the feudal lords several times. She was worried that the emperor would be defeated and the prestige he had accumulated with great difficulty would be hit again.

"Ah."

Zhu Xiewusi held his face, leaned forward, tilted his head, and gently leaned over to kiss him.

My lips were pried open and I felt something wet, soft, warm and sweet.

"Let's go." As they slowly separated, Zhu Xiewusi grabbed the leather belt and stuffed it into his hand.

The saint tied his raincoat, put on his bamboo hat, and stared at her for a long time: "I'm leaving."

Turn around and go into the rain.

After leaving the Zichen Gate, Zhao led a group of eunuchs to see them off.

"After the expedition, the Privy Council..." Zhao's eyes were misty and she was trying hard to hold herself together.

"There are established precedents and we will follow them. If there are no precedents, let the Grand Commandant decide. If you are undecided, come back to me quickly." The sage paused and said, "If there is a rebellion, let Wang Congxun lead the troops to suppress it."

"Don't you want to meet Lady Chen?" Yang Kezhen suddenly asked.

He did not inform his other wives and concubines. When he found out at daybreak, the saint had probably left the city.

"So be it." The saint sighed and strode into the dark corridor.

------

At the time of Yin, the drums of war in the military camps in Yongjiali and other places sounded like thunder. Facing the falling rain, the army began to gather nervously.

"I was right, wasn't I? Saints used to be like this. They would serve you with plenty of wine and meat for days on end, making you feel good. When you were happy, they would call up the troops."

"If you eat meat and drink wine but don't fight, you won't feel at ease."

"Hurry, hurry, hurry up! Get your reward."

"..."

This time, the four cavalry armies of Baozi, Tianxing, Yicong and Longjie were mobilized for the Western Expedition - 4000 knights and 8000 war horses. Fengzhou is a mountainous and hilly landform, not suitable for cavalry combat, is enough, just for auxiliary tasks.

The chief and deputy military commanders of the four cities were all temporary appointments.

Zha Zhu and Fu Cunshen teamed up to command the Leopard Troop, which was a troop formed by people from Jin and a few new recruits. It was just right for them to lead it.

Zhang Jide, the cavalry coach, and Wang Shaorong, the former Tianwei Army envoy, teamed up to unify Tianxingdu.

Liu Xianyuan and Cao Zhe led the Yicongdu.

The two foreign relatives, He Chuyu and Zhao Fu, teamed up to rule Longjie City.

The 700 Han and foreign troops that Zhao Fu brought from Qinzhou were organized into scouts, and the cavalry commander Mo Zang Qiqi was appointed as the patrol envoy.

Originally, he was going to use his second uncle Zhao Jia, but he was unwilling to lead the troops and asked to be around to give advice.

The infantry consisted of three light infantrymen: Yingwu, Changjian, and Hujie. They wore leather armor and held a small cowhide round shield. Their weapons were mainly horizontal swords, short guns, hook-and-sickle guns, and bone halberds. Their main strength was agility and fast running.

There are also four types of heavy infantry: Iron Axe, Overlord, Chopping Knife, and Charge.

Each of them is a strong man in iron armor, equipped with a spear, a sword, an axe, and a Pengpai. Pengpai is also known as a standing shield - a large shield in various styles such as elliptical, rectangular, and pentagonal. These 4000 people will be the backbone of the enemy's fiercest first wave of attacks, the main force against the cavalry, and the key to the victory or defeat of the battle. If they lose, forget about it and run away.

Finally, there are the four capital flower son teams of Tongtian, Juesheng, Bansui, and Imperial Kingdom. Except for two infantry bows, quivers, and a few strings for each person, the other war tools are whatever the soldiers like to use.

There were 11 infantry divisions and 4 cavalry divisions. More than 14000 genuine warriors, well-trained, well-equipped, and skilled in martial arts. Including buglers, horn soldiers, flag bearers, drummers, fire soldiers, horsemen, craftsmen and other auxiliary soldiers and civilian laborers, the total army was more than .

"Boom, boom, boom." The drumbeats gradually faded, and more than 10,000 soldiers quickly lined up according to their positions. Under the eaves on all four sides, civilians held up torches, lighting up the parade ground brightly, reflecting the slanting wind and rain, as well as the soldiers wearing straw raincoats and bamboo hats.

The crowd of more than 10,000 people was silent and waited for the coach's instructions.

The saint also wore a thick straw raincoat, sat on horseback, and stood in front of the wooden platform. The efficiency of the soldiers was still acceptable, perhaps because they were in a hurry to receive the reward. However, before giving the reward, he had one more thing to do.

This expedition to Fengzhou was different from the previous battles.

Xingfeng and Fengzhou are located south of Dasan Pass, which is not far away, but it is also an away battle - the terrain is complex, the local area is unfamiliar, and the weather is bad during the rainy season. If the war is deadlocked, the possibility of soldiers running away or even making a fuss is very high. In this day and age, when the army is in turmoil, no one can distinguish between the Qin Emperor and the Han Emperor.

Of course, the saint can suppress the rebellion by force, kill the chicken to scare the monkey, or give a sweet date after a beating, or learn from Zhu Wen to catch the naughty soldiers, tattoo them with words, and behead them. But this will hurt the morale, and the saint does not want to do it. He can be where he is today because of these warriors who risked their lives. Isn't it right to treat them well and respect them as much as possible? In short, in order to prevent rebellion as much as possible, it is best to make it clear in advance and let those who don't want to go withdraw. A forced melon is not sweet, and it is good if both parties are willing. The soldiers make money, and the saint earns his own prestige.

"…It is hundreds of miles away from Fengzhou, and it has been raining continuously for months…" As soon as the saint finished speaking, the people on the field responded immediately.

"Saint, please stop making noise! With us protecting you, who dares to rebel? Whoever is blind, we brothers will divide him up first!"

"If we want to fight the rebels, how can we avoid taking risks?"

"I have been a soldier in Daizhou for more than ten years. I have followed more than a dozen captains and generals. I think saints are better because they reward me generously. When I followed Li Keyong as a scapegoat, the rewards were pitifully small and I often owed him money. It's pitiful, pitiful. Saint, I will follow you."

"My wife has given birth to three children and still expects me to make money. If I don't go to the war, will I become a beggar on the street?"

"The saint built a tomb for our comrades who died in the battle of Qishan last time, and also wrote a stele. My buddy's mother even received a pension. The saint has been very kind to us. No doubt, let's do it."

"Does the saint think that we are afraid of death? Life is worthless anyway. I am not afraid of death, but I am afraid of dying in vain!"

"Your Majesty, please be at ease. If you cannot be the emperor, we will support you as the heir."

"Damn it, charge into Fengzhou and rob the rebels!"

"Go, go, go, hurry up and get on the road. Don't talk nonsense. If you go too late, the rebels will run away with the treasure!"

He Chuyu, the "actor" who had been privately taught the sage how to act, took his position. He pulled out a dagger and slashed his arm quickly, and blood spurted out immediately. He Chuyu raised his bloody arm high and shouted, "Long live Tongtian, I swear I will never let you down! If you violate today, you will not die well!"

"Long live Tongtian, I swear I will never let you down."

Seeing He Chuyu like this, generals such as Zhao Fu, Zha Zhu, Mo Zangqiqi, Zhao Jia, Zhang Jide, and Yin Shouzhi expressed their opinions one after another.

When the soldiers saw the blood, they also raised their arms and shouted excitedly.

"Good fighters, good brothers..." The saint dismounted and walked towards the front row of soldiers one by one, his voice hoarse.

“Saint…” A soldier shed tears and fell to the ground with a plop: “I am the only one left in my family of four boys. I am not afraid of death…”

"I have a hand disease, and I can't sell my life. I'm sorry, Your Majesty - oooo..."

The saint patted their shoulders, nodded, and choked up, saying: "It is fate that brings us together, so let's part ways amicably. Receive your rewards before leaving. Return to your hometown, meet your parents, greet them on my behalf, and love each other."

"Your Majesty..." These words moved everyone. This time, the seven or eight hundred soldiers who were unwilling to march west for various reasons sincerely bowed to the saint three times.

Zhao Jia looked at him from a distance and laughed twice. It was the right time for his brother-in-law to cry. Although they were both playing tricks and winning people's hearts, the saint's approach was much smarter than those Jiedushi.

----

Here, the clerks from Yanziku, Qionglinku, Zuozangku and Feixianku began to distribute rewards. The soldiers quickly lined up, waiting to receive them with great joy.

The rewards for this expedition were very generous.

Each infantry and cavalry soldier was given a bucket of salt, a piece of cloth, a pair of new shoes, three strings of copper coins, a liter of tea, a box of spices, and half a sheep. There were also some sundries, such as cheese, bayberry, oranges, and eggplants. It was a bit irritating, but that was the situation at the time. There was a shortage of copper for minting coins, and in times of war, real objects were more pleasing. As for precious metals, silver was used to make ornaments at the time, and it was too scarce to be circulated as currency.

After the rewards were distributed and the soldiers had dealt with the financial affairs, it was already daybreak. Troops wearing straw raincoats passed in front of the sage. The fact that the warriors marched in rain, snow, and scorching sun without making a fuss proved that the generals had a strong control over the army. If the commander dared to do this in places like Wei Bo, his head would have been hung on the city gate for public display.

Secondly, being able to perform tasks in bad weather is also a reflection of an elite army. There are too many warriors who can fight, and when it comes to fighting, it depends on who is better organized, more disciplined, and more tolerant. Li Su's army was able to march in extremely cold weather of dozens of degrees below zero and in a blizzard, and massacred the battle-hardened Cai people in their sleep. Can it be called a strong army?

This group of ruthless people were later transferred to Xuzhou to monitor the towns in Hebei, and the effect was particularly good.

"Brother-in-law, the front army has left, let's follow the central army." He Chuyu said as she wrapped the wound on her arm with a cloth strip.

"Thank you for your hard work." The saint looked at his brother-in-law meaningfully, wrapped himself in his straw raincoat, and rode his horse to join the team.

On August 28th of the first year of Jingfu, the saint led more than 14,000 infantry and cavalry troops to leave Chang'an and embark on a journey to conquer Xing and Feng states.

The latest news has come from Fengzhou - Zhou Zongliang was unable to reward the soldiers, so he led his troops to raid Liangdang, Lueyang, Shunzheng, and Changju counties, killing them until the cries shook the sky, and called it "cleansing the city"

At present, the two states of Xing and Feng can no longer satisfy their desires. The rebel army is sharpening their knives, preparing to advance into Xingyuan Prefecture along Dingjun Mountain and Shandong to massacre the officials and civilians in Hanzhong.

Not surprising. The official Xingfengdu Defense Commander and the Yijun Commander was Mancun, who was a mixed Hu from Daibei. It was unclear whether he was a Han or a Fan. In Daibei, the government considered the Hu people who worked the land as registered households to be Han people. If a Han person herded sheep on the grassland every day, then you were a Fan person. Those who really couldn't tell the difference were all called mixed Hu people.

Mancun was such a guy, but he was quite brave and received rewards from the Zhuye family. After the Chaos Rebellion, he followed Li Keyong to the throne. It happened that Tian Lingzi was trying his best to bribe warriors. He couldn't resist the temptation and sold himself to Tian Lingzi - Li Keyong didn't care about such small minions, there were plenty of them.

Later, Tian Lingzi lost power, and Mancun was thrown into Fengzhou, a "poor, mountainous, and water-ridden" place. One of them was like Li Keyong, who knew nothing about agriculture, commerce, farming, and civil administration, and within two years, he had made the two states a mess. Regardless of whether this place was suitable for raising cavalry, he turned all the plains he could see into pastures. Then, the army naturally had no food to eat, and naturally embarked on the road of plundering for a living.

When the outer housemen invited Mancun to go to Shu to encircle and suppress Wang Jian, and share the benefits after the task was completed, Mancun went immediately. He was away for more than half a year, and the soldiers guarding the house could not stand the loneliness and rebelled. This time Zhou Zongliang was elected as the successor, but he had no money to reward and could not get a loan, so he had to go the old way. After being yelled at like this, I wonder how many households in Feng and Xingzhou will be left.

Unfortunately, these innocent Hu children brought by Mancun back then have been transformed into beast soldiers after being trained by the warriors from the Central Plains.

On the first day of September, the sage and his disciples crossed Wugong and Xiegu River and arrived at Dasan Pass, which was only one pass away from the dangerous and dangerous place of Ganyi Army.

The saint calculated with his fingers and found that it would be the first anniversary of the time travel in two weeks.

The eerie and mysterious temple with corpses strewn all over the ground.

The frightening rainy night when he was kidnapped and imprisoned in Zitingyuan by the eunuchs. The anger after being beaten and scolded by the old pig herder when he failed to get an official position. The determination to defend Chang'an to the death against Li Maozhen. The domineering and immature when Xiao Wang was subdued by Liu Gong and sent to serve as his bodyguard after failing to rebel. The pleasure of sending Li Yanzhen to massacre the Jinzouyuan in Huazhou...

In the blink of an eye, a year has passed.

Is the ideal of pacifying the troubled times still firm? Has it been assimilated by this society where jackals are in power and beasts eat people?

My life is like walking on thin ice. Do you think I can make it to the other side?
(End of this chapter)