Qian Song

Chapter 33

...

The army of the Zhao Song Dynasty was mainly composed of two parts: the imperial army and the Xiang army.

The Forbidden Army was an absolutely regular army of the Zhao and Song Dynasties. Except for the many important defense towns in the west and north, most of them were stationed in the Gyeonggi area to guard Bianliang City in Tokyo.

The Xiang army is the defenders of the prefectures and counties, which is equivalent to the local army.

In fact, there is another kind of rural army. Although the Zhao and Song Dynasties have always wanted to align them with the government soldiers of the Tang Dynasty, they are only half peasants and half soldiers. Among the troops.

The Zhao and Song courts usually eliminated old and weak soldiers with low combat effectiveness from the forbidden army and entered the Xiang army.

Therefore, the Xiang army has no combat power at all, and is mainly used to supply various miscellaneous services, such as repairing the Yellow River, such as transporting supplies, and so on.

In addition, the tradition of the Zhao and Song Dynasties is to recruit hungry people, refugees and criminals to serve as soldiers.

Moreover, for soldiers, tattoos are required on their faces and hands, and criminals, government craftsmen, and slaves are also tattooed. Therefore, it is a shame to be a soldier, which is equivalent to excluding soldiers from the public class. outside.

This also makes the soldiers have no heart to defend their homes and the country.

Furthermore, the court of Zhao and Song Dynasties was afraid of military rebellion from the beginning of Zhao Kuangyin, so they always strictly guarded against too many generals commanding troops, and then divided the affairs by using both the capital and the road to divide the affairs, balance the power and the enemy, and do not control each other, which caused the generals to work independently. This situation also leads to soldiers not knowing their generals, and generals not knowing their soldiers.

Coupled with layers of corruption, food plaques and utensils are rotten.

The key point is that there has been no major war in the southeast for almost 200 years. It is so long that the army in the southeast does not know how to fight at all.

Therefore, when they heard the news of the uprising, Chen Guang, the magistrate of Qingxi County, and the officials and gentry of Qingxi County panicked, because they knew very well that, seeing such a rapidly growing uprising, they wanted to use the nearby soldiers to suppress it. Simply unrealistic.

And the landlord armed forces led by Yu Yancheng, the only one who had hope to wipe out the rebel army, was completely wiped out by Li Cun, and even their Zhuangzi was broken by Li Cun.

Chen Guang and other officials and gentry in Qingxi County panicked and huddled in the city all day long, asking for help from the higher-level officials one after another.

But Zhang Huiyan, the magistrate of Muzhou, had nothing to do, so he could only send Zhang Yuan, a criminal prison in western Zhejiang, to Beijing for help.

……

On this day, Taizai Yu Shen came to Chongzheng Hall and said to Zhao Ji: "Officials, the imperial court collects a lot of flowers and fruits in central Fujian, which has become a disturbance to the people. It must be reduced."

The so-called Minzhong flowers and fruits mainly refer to litchis from Fujian.

Zhao Ji was thinking about the upcoming matter of uniting Jin to eliminate Liao and regaining the sixteen prefectures of Yanyun, so he didn't understand what Yu Shen said for a while, so he asked with a puzzled face: "What do you mean by saying that flowers and fruits in central Fujian are disturbing the people?" ?”

Yu Shen explained: "In the second year of Xiangfu, the imperial court paid [-] dried lychees, an increase of [-] last year. Fresh lychees, [-] in the fourth year of Chongning, increased by [-] last year, all doubled. Times too. When you are in this place, you may disturb the people."

Zhao Ji wondered why the court wanted so many lychees?Let the servant Zhang Di pass the message on to Wang Fu, and let Wang Fu come over and explain.

Wang Fu soon ran to see Zhao Ji.

Zhao Ji asked straight to the point: "Now the imperial court has doubled the amount of flowers and fruits from Central Fujian. Why?"

Hearing this, Wang Fu quickly sorted out and explained the acquisition and distribution of lychees by the imperial court. Finally, he said: "The imperial court collects flowers and fruits from Minzhong, and the people of Minzhong fruits can make money. This is for the benefit of the people. Disturbing the people? This is a trivial matter in a peaceful and prosperous age, why should the officials bother to study it?"

Wang Fu glanced at Yu Shen again, and said calmly: "There are so many important national affairs, the Dazai only cares about the flowers and fruits in Central Fujian, and doesn't want to share the worries of the officials, what's the point?"

Yu Shen was single-handedly picked up by Cai Jing, and he was Cai Jing's right-hand man in administration. Cai Jing experienced many ups and downs in the court of Zhao and Song Dynasties, and he also followed Cai Jing many times.

Now, because Cai Jing does not support the plan of uniting Jin to destroy Liao and recover the sixteen prefectures of Yanyun, Zhao Ji thinks that Cai Jing is old, so he forces Cai Jing to become an official and let Wang Fu, who strongly supports this plan, succeed Cai Jing in power.

And Yu Shen is just an excessive prime minister, everyone knows that Zhao Ji still kept Yu Shen and promoted Yu Shen to be the Grand Chancellor in order to let Yu Shen cooperate with Wang Fu to transfer all the power of Cai Jing to Wang Fu.

Yu Shen felt the aggression of the young and vigorous Wang Fu, and since Cai Jing had almost transferred all the power to Wang Fu, Yu Shen felt that it would be better for him to voluntarily give up the position of Dazai and leave the court, which is a place of right and wrong.

Therefore, the next day, Yu Shen took the initiative to say to Zhao Ji: "The official family, the old minister is over seventy, too old, please ask the official family to approve the old minister's retirement."

Zhao Ji thought for a while and said, "Aiqing is very concerned about Southeast, so you should go to Southeast for a job."

The next day, the imperial court formally issued an edict that Yu Shen went out to Fuzhou with the titles of Shaofu and Zhenjiang Jiedu envoy. At the same time, the imperial court also issued an edict to appoint Wang Fu as Shaobao, Dazai and servant.

Wang Fu officially became the prime minister of the Zhao Song Dynasty.

The next day, Zhao Ji gave Wang Fu a luxurious residence, which is located on the north bank of the Bianhe River in Xicheng, with an elegant environment and beautiful scenery.

All kinds of supplies needed in Wang Fu's new house, no matter how big or small, were purchased by the governor of Kaifeng with public funds for Wang Fu.

On the day of housewarming and New Year's Eve, Zhao Ji ordered the Palace Jiaofang band to play music for Wang Fu's house.

Once Wang Fu attained enlightenment, he held a big banquet at home for several days, entertaining guests and friends.

On this day, Wang Fu held a banquet at home again, and invited his good friend Mei Zhili, the Minister of Rites, and four or five beautiful singers waited on them.

Just as they were having a good time, a servant came to report that Zhang Yuan, a prison in the west of Zhejiang Province, had something to see.

Wang Fu didn't want to see him at all.

Kemei Zhili said: "The lower official heard that there has been a riot in the southeast recently. Zhang Ti said that he might have something urgent to report. Wang Xianggong should see him."

In this way, Wang Fu ordered someone to bring Zhang Yuan in.

After Zhang Yuan came in, he immediately reported in a panic: "Master Wang, something is wrong. Fang La, a native of Qingxi, Muzhou, has gathered a crowd to rebel, and will attack Qingxi County in a few days. I beg Mr. Wang to dispatch an army to rescue him!"

Seeing Zhang Yuan's panic-stricken appearance, Wang Fu was very angry, and reprimanded him: "The mob is making trouble, not only you Muzhou, but also Song Jiang from Jeju, who led the crowd to attack Heshuo and Jingdong for more than a year. What can you do? An official should be in danger. No chaos, no surprises..."

Sternly reprimanding Zhang Yuan, Wang Fu turned his face and raised his glass with a smile to Mei Zhili, saying, "How about my singers? They are all donated by Jiangsu and Zhejiang, and they are thin horses from Yangzhou. If you win, pick one to go.”

Mei Zhili didn't appreciate it, and said displeasedly: "Your Excellency is the prime minister, and you should share the worries with the world. Now Fangla is poisoning the land of Wu, and the scars are not healed. This is not the time for singing and dancing!"

After finishing speaking, Mei Zhili put down his wine glass and stood up to bid farewell to Wang Fu.

In fact, Wang Fu already knew that there was a rebellion in the southeast.

It's just that Wang Fu didn't want this incident to affect the soon-to-be-implemented plan of uniting the Jin Dynasty to destroy the Liao Dynasty and recover the sixteen prefectures of Yanyun.

You know, Wang Fu has been preparing for this plan for more than half a year, and now the army going north has assembled in the Daming Mansion, and the army will go north when Zhao Ji gives an order.

The key point is that the recovery of the sixteen prefectures of Yanyun was a dream of the Zhao and Song Dynasties for nearly 200 years. Song Shenzong Zhao Xu even ordered that the King of Yanyun be recovered.

Wang Fu really wanted to rely on this incomparable great achievement to prove that he was even more outstanding than his predecessor Cai Jing, and that he was the best prime minister in the history of Zhao and Song Dynasties.

So Wang Fu suppressed the rebellion in the southeast.

but--

Although Wang Fu suppressed this matter, it doesn't mean that Wang Fu didn't care about it.

In fact, on the contrary, Wang Fu had already ordered Chen Jianli, the envoy of the Liangzhe Road System, to dispatch troops to suppress the rebellion in Qingxi County.

After Chen Jian received Wang Fu's order, he immediately dispatched Cai Zun and Yan Tan, the military commanders, to lead [-] elite forbidden troops to Qingxi, preparing to wipe out the rebels in one fell swoop...

……

In Yujiazhuang, in Li Cun's Chinese military tent (that is, Yu Yancheng's living room).

A calm young man who looked seven points like Zhang Shiyou reported to Li Cun that Cai Zun and Yan Tan were about to lead five thousand forbidden troops to Qingxi.

This young man is Zhang Chao, Zhang Shi's elder brother.

Zhang Chao was recruited by Zhang Shila on the second day of the uprising.

Originally, Zhang Chao didn't want to come, but Zhang Shi said to Zhang Chao: "I have risen up, can you help me, if I am suppressed in the future, you will all be involved, it's not as good as me, brothers are united , Go and fight for the fate of the Zhang family!"

Zhang Chao was persuaded by Zhang Shi, so he came to vote for Li Cun.

Zhang Chao was born as a waiter in a big restaurant, and he has welcomed and sent people for many years, so he is very good at reading people.

As soon as he saw Li Cun, Zhang Chao whispered to Zhang Shi that this man must not be someone in the pool.

Since then, Zhang Chao has been training with a group of recruits in the Huben Army with peace of mind.

Later, Li Cun wanted to attack Yujiazhuang, and wanted to find someone to go to Yujiazhuang to inquire about news.

After Zhang Chao heard about it from Zhang Shi, he immediately volunteered and said that he was willing to go.

Moreover, Zhang Chao also told Li Cun that he had a good friend named Liu Baiqin, who was originally a well-known ventriloquist in Hangzhou, but later offended the rich and powerful in Hangzhou, fled Hangzhou overnight, and lived in Qingxi County.

Zhang Chao once showed kindness to Liu Baiqin, and the two became good friends.

Zhang Chao said that Liu Baiqin could learn many bird calls and animal calls, and his learning could be confused with the real ones, so people called him Liu Baiqin. The sound is just right for delivering a message.

As soon as Li Cun heard that Zhang Chao knew someone who raised pigeons, he immediately tightened his belt and took 100 taels of silver to Zhang Chao and Liu Baiqin to form the intelligence department of the Huben Army, and ordered that the people in the Huben Army, Whoever they fancy, they can take away directly.

Zhang Chao and Liu Baiqin did not disappoint Li Cun's trust, and helped Li Cun wipe out the landlord's armed forces led by Yu Yancheng in the first battle.

In that battle, on the surface Li Cun gave the first credit to Niu Meng, but in fact Li Cun credited the first credit to Zhang Chao and Liu Baiqin.

After the war, Li Cun allocated [-] calls to Zhang Chao and Liu Baiqin, asking them to set up the Wu De Division, which was engaged in reconnaissance, collecting military information, and instigating against enemy generals.

In addition, Li Cun emphatically proposed to let Liu Baiqin cultivate a large number of carrier pigeons, and began to establish a network of carrier pigeons to transmit information.

After Zhang Chao asked Li Cun for advice, he decided to first open a few restaurants in Qingxi County, Muzhou City, and Hangzhou City to collect information.

Li Cun expressed his support for this, and also said that Zhang Chaoqian gave money to people who were short of money, and he would definitely support him vigorously.

As a result, as soon as the intelligence point in Hangzhou was established, Zhang Chao's people found out. Chen Jian sent Cai Zun and Yan Tan to lead [-] forbidden troops to Qingxi, and sent back the important news with the carrier pigeons they brought.

After letting Zhang Chao go down, Li Cun murmured, "I'm finally leaving here..."

……

(End of this chapter)