Prime Minister

Chapter 687

Weiyuan Fort under the night.

Bowls of boiling hot porridge were brought out, and the hot porridge was sprinkled with the leftover mutton.

The mutton is chopped and poured into the porridge, and then a small spoonful of salt is scooped up and stirred well.Then bowls of mutton porridge were brought to the soldiers of Guangrui Army.

The Guangrui soldiers took a bite out of wooden spoons, and poured it into their stomachs regardless of the scorching heat. Some of them took out their dry food and just chewed on the porridge, for fear of eating too fast and swallowing it whole. Food.

The heavy rain fell, hitting the walls and floor tiles of Weiyuan Fort.

The soldiers squatted in the mud, just holding up bowls and eating with sobs. Bowls of hot mutton porridge were handed to their hands, which instantly warmed their hearts that were cold because of suspicion, coldness, and homelessness.

The soldiers of Guangrui greedily ate mutton porridge, and several of them were holding bowls with porridge in their mouths, but they couldn't swallow it, but they couldn't help crying.

The strong wind blew in, the bonfire shook, and after a while of flickering, Zhang Yue took a deep breath of the cold air.

Zhang Yue, the magistrate of Xizhou, is only in name, and only controls the Weiyuan Fort.The center of Xizhou is Lintao City, which is now under the control of Muzheng.

There are two roads from Weiyuan Fort to Lintao City, one is Yueshu Mountain, passing through Qingping Fort, following Dongyugou to Lintao City, and the other is passing through Zhuniu Ridge, passing Huichuan City along Mobang Mountain to Lintao.

As long as Lintao City is captured, Zhang Yue can live up to his name and radiate the entire Xizhou.

Now under Zhiyuan's persuasion, Jiewu Chila has already been naturalized in the Song Dynasty. As long as Zhang Yue raises his troops to go north, he can fight with Jiewu Chila from north to south at Muzheng under the city of Lintao, and Xizhou will be settled in the first battle.

The reason why Zhang Yue does not send troops now is because of the supply line problem.

It is nearly two hundred miles from Guwei (Tongyuan Army) to Lintao. Even if troops are sent to defeat them, they will not be able to defend them, and they will end up taking advantage of others.Therefore, it is necessary to send troops from Weiyuan or Qingping Fort, so that it can be included in the governance of the Song Dynasty, and the territory of our dynasty will be officially expanded to Xizhou.

This is also the reason why Zhang Yue repaired Weiyuan and Qingping Second Fort.

This Qingping Fort was originally named Qishenping Fort, and it was based on the Mengluojiao and Mo'er Shuiba tribes attached to Muzheng. Wang Shao led the army to defeat the two tribes and changed its name to Qingping Fort.

Qingping Baozhang Yue went to inspect it, and found that the city wall was ready-made, and only needed a little repair.

But Qingping Fort only has more than [-] paces, and it really can't accommodate too many soldiers and horses. Zhang Yue plans to wait for Weiyuan Fort to be completed, then lead the army to move to Qingping Fort, and then build a [-]-step Fort.

As long as these two forts are built, troops can be stationed here, and food and grass can be continuously sent to these two forts from the ancient Weizhai. Only in this way can they attack Lintao City and attack Mu Zheng.

To be honest, Mu Zheng is really pitiful. He has always been submissive to the Song Dynasty, and he is the official governor of Hezhou. In name, he is a courtier of the Song Dynasty. Not worth mentioning.

Because it was difficult to eat salt, Zhang Yue unkindly occupied several salt wells beside Weiyuan Fort.

When Mu Zheng found out, he was very angry, and sent an envoy to question Zhang Yue, saying that Wang Shao and I made an oath that the Song army would not take the land around Weiyuan City, and not here to farm fields and take salt wells. Why did you break your promise?

Zhang Yue spread his hands helplessly and said, this is the oath you Mu Zheng and Wang Shao made, what does it have to do with me?
The envoy went back to report with a depressed face, and taught Mu Zheng a proverb brought to him by Zhang Yue, "New officials don't care about old accounts".

The next day, more than 500 Guangrui troops departing from Gyeongju arrived at Weiyuan, and there were less than [-] left in the end.

When they arrived at Weiyuan Fort, everyone was dressed in rags, as if they were a group of beggars, not the once proud Forbidden Army.

Zhang Yue asked about the situation. He knew that they were rebels, so the states and counties along the way were very wary, and they were stationed far outside the city, and they were not allowed to enter the military camp in the city. As for the supplies, they were not given enough, only half or half One third like that.

Many people died of starvation on the way.

As for their family members who are still on the road from Gyeongju to Qinzhou, why not arrange to go together?For being a hostage.

Zhang Yue stood at the top of the city and looked at them, and said loudly: "I know you have worked hard all the way from Gyeongju, but this is just the beginning, and it will be even harder in the future."

The drizzle hit the soldiers' heads, and everyone remained silent.

"I've heard about you all. You once fought bloody battles with the elite soldiers of the party under the city of Dashun. You were no match for Bubazi, and even iron kites couldn't push you for half a step. One hundred thousand Dangxiang troops fled!"

"However, Wang Wenliang was greedy for the merits of you and others, and pushed all the losses of the defeated army onto you, so that Yu Hou Wu Kui was wronged and imprisoned, and you and others became rebels."

"Reporting to the county guard, we are not rebels!" A Guangrui soldier said out loud.

"It's not a rebel? Then how can you prove your loyalty?"

The audience was silent.

Zhang Yue said: "You come to Weiyuan to guard the border. The word "guard the border" was regarded as a lowly slave in the dynasty, and it was the return of assassins and desperadoes. There is a saying in the poem, when you go to guard the border, Lizheng wraps your head. Now When my hair is gray, I still have to go to the border, and finally die in another country.”

"Is it hard to guard the border? It's hard. The only way to see the end of the day is to endure it. However, this is where our loyalty lies. The state guards the frontier."

"If there is no dedication from us, how can the people in Guanzhong have a peaceful meal?"

After hearing Zhang Yue's words, the soldiers of Guangrui gradually raised their heads, and there was anger in their expressions.

Zhang Yue said: "Today, I agreed with you for a two-year period. After two years, you can go and stay as you like. I will never force you, and I will let you get rid of the crime. I would like to go back to Qingzhou or other places!"

"But now you must prove to me here that your loyalty is not to me, but to the country! Are you willing to get rid of the charges? Do you dare to say this sentence? Blood spilled on the ground? Can you follow me to defend the country for the country?"

Countless arms were raised to the sky, and the response was roaring like waves.

"I would like to follow the county guard and defend the country for the country!"

Not only Guang Ruijun, but also Song Jun who had followed Zhang Yue for a long time.

"We are not thieves supporting the army, but defending the country for the country. That's right, it's what Zhang Junshou said."

Such words spread in the army.

Immediately, the soldiers of the Guangrui Army put on new clothes, re-wrapped their heads, and put on Fan Yang hats.

All the soldiers took the food and had a full meal.

No one spoke, but in the silence and calmness, there was a terrifying power.

It was already dark at this moment, and the sky was like a big tent covering the land of Weiyuan.

And the warm lights extend from the top of Weiyuan Castle to the river bed, and countless lights swaying in the wind stretch across the river valley.

Counting carefully, there are more lights and tents than before.

The Qiang flute resounded in the valley, accompanied by the sound of the rapids, spreading far away.

With the joining of the Guangrui Army, the Song Army became stronger at the source of the Wei River.

(End of this chapter)