You have truly caused me great suffering!

On the official road northeast of Taiyuan City, smoke and dust rose like fog.

This official road winds its way through the valley, from Yanmen Pass through Daizhou and Shiling Pass to Taiyuan Prefecture.

It is the main transportation route between the front line and this area, and it is also a miraculous project that the officials of Hedong devoted their efforts to completing in half a year.

It's the height of summer now, and logically there shouldn't be many people traveling at this time of year.

But at this time, the place was bustling with activity, with people coming and going day and night.

Many military camps along the roads west of Taiyuan Prefecture were even demolished, because there was no longer any need to consider the defense of Taiyuan.

Anyone who says that someone could reach Taiyuan at this time is definitely out of their mind.

To the east, only a few patrol cavalry from Taiyuan Prefecture occasionally passed by, checking people coming and going, while also protecting this main road that supported the Yanmen defense line.

The Dingnan Army's transportation and supply system is now operating at full capacity. Caravans are already on their way, transporting grain and military supplies stored in Taiyuan Prefecture to the front lines.

This road has vaguely regained the bustling and lively scene of the Tang Dynasty.

At this moment, the rising dust in the distance indicates that an army is rapidly approaching.

Before Chen Shao arrived, when rumors circulated that the Jurchen western army was about to march south and attack Taiyuan, and people were filled with fear and unease, the laborers on the road would probably have scattered and run as fast as they could.

But now, these laborers are standing on tiptoe, craning their necks, wiping their sweat, and looking eastward in the middle of the road.

Jurchen Tartars? What's there to be afraid of? The Prince of Dai is now stationed in Taiyuan, with a strong and well-equipped army. Even if they are Tartars, with the Prince of Dai here, what's there to be afraid of?
Our Hedong region, especially Taiyuan, should have been on par with Bianliang long ago.

Some even believe that Taiyuan's status has surpassed that of Bianliang.

The soldiers who came this time looked quite different from the Dingnan Army; firstly, their armor and robes were different.

Moreover, warhorses are extremely rare.
People pointed and whispered, speculating about which group of people they were.

Some people immediately recognized it and said it must be the Western Army, because only the Western Army would do such a thing.

Then some well-informed people with connections started to show off, solemnly telling everyone that this was the Zhong family army of the Western Army.

They are going east to join the war.
No one would dare say that the Zhong family army's fighting strength is lacking.

However, historically, their record against the Jin dynasty was indeed quite poor.

Actually, that needs to be viewed in the context of that time. At that time, the Song Dynasty was rotten to the core.

When a general is fighting, his troops are no longer willing to fight.

This time, the situation is different again.

When fighting alongside the Prince of Dai, the first thing you don't have to worry about is supplies. Everyone present is a seasoned veteran, and seeing cartloads of grain on the official road makes them feel much more at ease.

Moreover, the Dingnan Army is far too wealthy, with an astonishingly high proportion of pack horses.

Transporting by horsepower is much faster than having laborers carry it on their shoulders or push it in a cart.

The pay and rewards that the Dingnan Army received were already enough to make these Western Army soldiers envious. If they could integrate into the Dingnan Army after this battle, they would gain even more benefits.

Moreover, it is now clear to everyone that the Song Dynasty is facing earth-shattering changes. The Prince of Dai possesses a powerful army. If he can completely defeat the Jurchens, everyone has a general idea of ​​what the Song Dynasty will become.

But for a military officer, following the Prince of Dai, isn't that the best path?
Although this path is unpredictable and extremely risky, and one's fate is uncertain once the battle begins, whether or not one chooses to take the risk depends on whether the reward for success is large enough.

If everyone is lucky enough to survive this catastrophe, they will undoubtedly be considered the confidants of the Prince of Dai.

The future returns are predictable!

If they could achieve the merit of following the emperor, these poor soldiers from the Northwest would suddenly become ten times more loyal, diligent, and brave.

Moreover, they actually felt some gratitude towards Chen Shao, as it was Chen Shao who eliminated their long-time enemy and brought peace and tranquility to the Northwest.

Everyone's relatives are now living a peaceful life, something unimaginable before.

Sure enough, a large army rolled in through the smoke and dust. At this moment, a group of people came out of the city and went to the army to ask the general.

Then someone led them to a camp.

Chen Shao, accompanied by officials from Hedong, had been waiting here for quite some time.

Since these were all real relatives, Chen Shao didn't put on airs and personally went to the door to greet them.

This move undoubtedly won him even more favor from the military officers of the Zhong family army.

Zhong Shidao glanced at Chen Shao and saw that he had indeed become much more heroic and composed.

After exchanging pleasantries, the group entered the village. Chen Shao smiled and said, "This place was originally built by your old acquaintance, Wang Bing of Huanqing Army, to train the Hedong New Army. However, due to the imperial court's transfer order, he has now gone to Lianghuai."

Zhong Shidao nodded and said, "Judging from the style of this camp, it is Wang Zhengchen's doing."

He wasn't just making things up; every general in the Western Army had grown up alongside Lao Zhong.

Thinking of the Huanqing Army, Zhong Shidao felt somewhat fortunate and said, "Thanks to you, otherwise the Huanqing Army would most likely have been wiped out in Taiyuan."

If Wanyan Zonghan had successfully marched south, the Huanqing Army would indeed have held Taiyuan to the death and been annihilated.
Now, let alone whether the Tartars can still threaten Taiyuan, judging from this situation, the Prince of Dai is about to gather his elite troops and recruit the Western Army to launch a pincer attack on Hebei, joining forces with Zonghan and Zongwang.

This is already on the scale of a national war.

After everyone was seated, the soldiers of the Zhong family army discovered that wine and food had been prepared there.

"Keep things simple in the army. We will hold a banquet for you all in Taiyuan City after our victorious return another day."

"Your Highness is too kind."

Only then did Chen Shao take a closer look at Zhong Shidao beside him, and he did indeed look better than before.

It seems that people are really affected by their mood.

"In this campaign, the front lines are full of famous generals, but I lack some experienced generals to help me manage the scattered military situations in various places; so that I can have a general plan and make arrangements for various matters."

"It is easy to find generals for the front lines, but this position is lacking. If you are willing, brother, would you be willing to stay in Taiyuan and lend me a hand?"

Upon hearing this, the generals of the Zhong family army all widened their eyes, wishing they could agree on behalf of Old Zhong.

In this way, our Zhong family army will have its own people in Taiyuan, by the side of the Prince of Dai.

With the old Grand Commandant Zhong, everyone can be better protected, so that their merits are not overlooked.

Zhong Shidao said half-jokingly, "What, Mingyuan, do you think this old bone of mine can't go to the front line?"

"To be honest, I am also worried about your health, brother. But what I said before is not an exaggeration. You are a veteran general who has commanded troops for decades. You should know that what I said is true. Such a war is complicated and complex. Without a battle-hardened veteran to hold the fort, how can it be managed?"

Chen Shao always gives people the feeling that he is very sincere, and there is a reason for that.

These words pleased everyone, even Xiao Zhong, who had been wearing a cold expression, softened his demeanor.

Old Zhong didn't hesitate for long before nodding.

"Duanru, lead your troops to Hebei."

Zhong Shizhong nodded. Unlike the others, he was prepared to die in this battle.

Old Zhong didn't see anything amiss, and seeing how cooperative he was, he couldn't help but nod. If young Zhong could understand his good intentions, then the Zhong family would have a bright future.

Even if he can hold on any longer, he probably doesn't have many years left to live. When Chen Shaozhen succeeds, the Zhong family will still have Xiao Zhong, who can support the family.

The army was still advancing, and they couldn't just stay there and eat and drink. After a quick meal, Zhong Shizhong led his men to set off.

Before departing, he bowed to Old Zhong from horseback, his eyes somewhat unfocused, and then took his leave.

Amidst the billowing dust, Zhong Shidao watched as Xiao Zhong's figure slowly disappeared from sight before turning around.

He discovered that Chen Shao was still waiting for him.

The two entered the city together, and Chen Shao said with a smile, "I have already prepared a house for you, my elder brother. It is not far from my residence, so we can visit each other easily."

"It would be best to be near the Taiyuan Pacification Office."

"Haha, to be honest, that government office is my residence."

Upon hearing this, Zhong Shidao smiled and instructed his personal guards to follow Chen Shao's men to prepare their lodgings.

"Huanhuan originally said she was going to come see you, but she was about to give birth and had difficulty walking, so I told her not to come."

“You’ve handled this very well,” Zhong Shidao said. “Make sure she can focus on her pregnancy.”

He thought of his aunt, whose health had always been poor; otherwise, she wouldn't have passed away so early.

This led to his uncle taking a second wife from the Zhe family, which in turn caused the later scandal.

At this time, Zhong Shidao still harbored some resentment towards Chen Shao, but he did not hate him.

Because it's not worth it.
Having fought their way through life, how could they not tolerate such a small matter?

Back at his lodgings, Zhong Shidao stretched his limbs; the long journey had indeed left him somewhat exhausted.

You can't deny getting old!

Back in the day, when war broke out, we would go for days and nights without sleep.

The place Chen Shao arranged for him to stay was very quiet, and the streets outside were very peaceful.

It's obvious at a glance that ordinary people aren't allowed in this area, and there should be guards around.

That's understandable; I heard they even had an assassination contest with the Jurchen Tartars.
Li Tangchen, the current prefect of Taiyuan, was slashed by someone.

Just as he expected, the neighborhood was full of important people.

When the Tartars marched south, many scholars from the Central Plains fled to Taiyuan for refuge.

They came here only to save their lives, but now that they want to go back, they find it hard to leave.

The situation is becoming clearer. Living closer to the emperor might just allow me to gain some credit for his services.

Who wouldn't be envious of this achievement?
Sitting on a bamboo chair under the eaves, Zhong Shidao recalled his experiences along the way and admired Chen Shao even more.

What truly surprised him was not the Dingnan Army's achievements, as that was already common knowledge.

To his surprise, the agricultural work in Hedong Prefecture was done so well!
Newly constructed water conservancy projects are everywhere: irrigation canals, reservoirs, and farming tools.
I've heard that officials who help farmers mostly live in the countryside, and their contributions are recorded.

Along the way, almost no field was abandoned.

You must understand, this is Hedong Prefecture, and we've conscripted laborers countless times this year!

They built so many roads and water conservancy projects, yet they didn't neglect agricultural work.

A military leader who is good at fighting is not scary; sometimes, just one defeat can bring him down.

However, if this person could also be so adept at governing domestic affairs, things would be very different.

He has the capital to fail.

In today's world, agriculture remains the most important aspect of domestic affairs.
This autumn, Hedong will have a bumper harvest!
-
After returning home, Chen Shao was in a good mood.

Chen Shao felt more at ease knowing that Lao Zhong had taken the initiative to do so, rather than being forced to comply under duress.

Actually, Chen Shaozhen doesn't lack your men, but since they're in his rear, they're a potential threat.

Strictly speaking, they weren't even in the rear.
Since the two sides cooperated to attack Yinzhou that year, and Xiao Zhong rebuilt Yongle City, Yinzhou and Yongle City have been connected as one line.

The two sides had a very close relationship, so their defenses were quite loose. The army marched from Yinzhou into Yongle City faster than the Zhong family army could attack them.

The entire Shaanxi Fifth Route was not behind them, but rather surrounded by their own territory.

Huanhuan's belly was already protruding, and she was idly seeking refuge from the heat under the eaves.

When Li Yumei heard that her wife's elder brother, the renowned General Zhong, had arrived, she offered to send someone to deliver some gifts.

Most of it was about food, clothing, and daily necessities, and he was reporting to Huanhuan at the moment.

When Chen Shao came in, he heard what she said and praised her a few times.

Li Yumei was very obedient to the first wife; she seemed to be the one in the house who most respected the rule that the first wife was the head of the household.

Even when facing Chen Shao, she would act coquettishly and playfully, displaying some intimate and unrestrained behavior and words.

In front of Huanhuan, he became well-behaved and less lively.

Chen Shao mostly remained an observer when it came to matters concerning the inner quarters of the household; he never intervened unless someone went too far.

If you, as a man, want to get involved, that's fine.
Endless troubles will follow, and even things that were fine will turn into problems, which may be more tiring than conquering the world.

Especially Chen Shao's inner quarters, if they were to fall into chaos, it would be disastrous.

Each of them has a powerful backer.
The only two sisters without any connections, Li Shishi and Wu Chuntao, were the providers of Chen Shao's first pot of gold. If they had succeeded, Shishi would have been considered one of the greatest contributors to the founding of the nation.

The three Qiang sisters were even more extraordinary; their father, Marshal Zhu, directly rebelled against the Heavenly Spirits, taking his daughters' surnames. Zhu Lingling, taking advantage of the Sinicization trend, changed her surname to Jin.
Zhai Rui and Zhang Yinghan, from powerful families in Hexi, were backed by the Western Regions and the five prefectures of Hexi, and were Chen Shao's money bag.

Liu Caiwei and Li Yumei belong to the Hedong faction, which is now the heartland of the Dingnan Army. The Hedong faction has made great contributions to Chen Shao, and its role is still growing.

The Xiao family outside is even more formidable. Some time ago, news came that she was only allowed to have a guard of five hundred men.

As a result, she led five hundred men to attack the city. It is said that she personally beat the drums and offered a thousand gold pieces as a reward for those who died in battle. Under such a generous reward, Yarkand was indeed captured.

Zhao Shan's letter specifically stated that he did not send a single person, and that the lady did indeed use five hundred men to attack the city.

Besides marveling at the excellent matchmaking system in the Western Regions, Chen Shao also had to admit that this woman had a ruthless streak.

As her delivery approaches, Huanhuan seems to be becoming increasingly dependent on Chen Shao.

Seeing him sitting there in a daze, Huanhuan asked with displeasure, "My lord, what are you doing?"

Chen Shao lies without hesitation, saying things like, "I'm thinking about what name to give the child."

Huanhuan's anger turned to joy. "Then you'd better think it over carefully." (End of Chapter)