Great Han Empire

Chapter 168

Li Hong went on to say: "According to Your Majesty, we will assemble [-] troops in Jizhou. However, Youzhou and Jizhou have suffered from wars and are extremely financially strained. They are simply unable to provide [-] troops with military pay, equipment, food and supplies. If we Rushing to the Xiliang battlefield in this way, its vulnerable combat power may not be helpful to solve the problems on the Xiliang battlefield. Therefore, we ask His Majesty to help us solve the problem immediately. At the same time, we ask His Majesty to give us the plan to advance westward to Liangzhou For the marching route, all the counties and counties where the troops go must provide us with food and grass."

"In addition, immediately issue a conscript order to the Governor's Mansion of Youzhou. Conquer all military reserves, armor, bows and arrows, knives and guns and other weapons and equipment in the arsenals of Yuyang, Zhuojun and Guangyang counties, and all kinds of equipment must be delivered in mid-March to Handan."

"Issuing a conscript order to Jizhou Governor's Office. Requisition Wei County, Bohai County and other counties that have not been invaded by the Yellow Turban Army immediately provide all their military supplies and grain reserves, which must be delivered to Handan in mid-March. Also, tell them to send them immediately This month's military salary will be sent to me."

"Tell the governors of the two states that anyone who resists and does not obey the order will be executed."

"I wrote a letter to the garrisons in the counties of Zhao State, ordering Xian Yuyin, Yan Rou, Yan Liang, Zhang He and Gao Lan to send a few soldiers to guard the county government and maintain daily work, and the rest of the soldiers returned to Handan immediately to train the army and prepare for the west. Enter."

"Shoot the tiger, go and invite Zheng Junhou and Tian Junhou to the big tent."

Wen Chou couldn't help shouting: "My lord, what kind of tricks have you played again, why didn't you even fight Zhending City?"

"The Yellow Turban Army will withdraw immediately, there is no more war to fight." Li Hong said seriously, "write a book for me, don't worry about fighting all day long."

"How do you know?" Wen Chou shouted unconvinced.Li Hong was so angry that he kicked him lightly, "Go, go."

Zheng Xin strode into Li Hong's big tent.

Wen Chou and Zhao Yun were writing books at their desks, so busy that they didn't even have time to raise their heads.

Zheng Xin pulled Li Hong to one side of the big tent, leaned into his ear, and asked softly, "Your people, have you seen them?"

Li Hong nodded.

"How was the talk?" Zheng Xin asked anxiously.

"Three days later, we will be stationed in Zhending." Li Hong said softly, "Zhang Yan is also a person who can afford and let go, very refreshing."

"That's great." Zheng Xin said excitedly, "Your Excellency won Zhending City without bloodshed, which will definitely surprise everyone."

"It's not a big surprise, but a beating of the chest. Such good luck, how did it happen to Li Hong again, haha..." Li Hong laughed loudly.

"Where is Chen Ming?" Li Hong asked, "If you think he is good, let him be your deputy. You have been in charge of the scouts all along, and it has been very hard."

"Thank you, my lord. What are you looking for in such a hurry?"

"There are a few documents here. Send someone to send them quickly without delay." Li Hong pointed to Zhao Yun and Wen Chou and said, "Let the messenger wait outside the tent, and leave immediately after they finish writing."

Tian Zhong also hurried over.

"My lord, what do you want from me?"

Li Hong asked Tian Zhong to sit down, and said with a smile: "Old man, we are going to march to the west soon, you should go home and have a look. Maybe this time, you will leave your old bones in Xiliang."

Tian Zhong smiled knowingly, "Your Excellency, have you figured it out?"

Li Hong nodded, "Think about it. You bring me some money for Xiaoyu, please take care of Tian's family. In addition, you go to Lulongsai to see the families of Huzi and other comrades-in-arms, and leave some money for them If something happens to Lu Longsai in the future, tell them to flee to Xu Wushan instead of staying in the pass. You should give as much compensation as possible to the families of the comrades who died in battle."

Tian Zhong smiled helplessly: "My lord, why do you want to entrust Xiao Yu to the care of a stranger like this?"

"Isn't the Patriarch of the Tian family your life-and-death brother? How can he be a stranger?" Li Hong smiled wryly, "What do you want me to do? What can I do? I don't even know my future. Where will I die?"

Tian Zhong laughed and said, "Die with me, you must die on the sunset plain."

Li Hong patted Tian Zhong's hand affectionately, and said, "It's a deal. Take a few people and set off right away. Is there enough money?"

"Heng Ji, She Yingtong and Lou Lu took away all the pensions of the Hu soldiers who died in battle, so I am very poor now, and my pockets are shy. But I can barely handle it, but you have to think about this month's military salary There is a solution." Tian Zhong said worriedly.

"Don't worry." Li Hong said while sending him out of the tent.

He had just returned to the big tent when Shehu walked in with Cao Shushi Weizheng, a soldier from Zhongshan Kingdom.

"How is the Prime Minister?" Li Hong hurriedly went up to him and asked.

Wei Zheng knelt down on the ground, and said with grief and indignation: "My lord, the prime minister..."

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Zhang Chun was finally convicted of losing the Zhongshan Kingdom, and was escorted back to Beijing in a prison car by the order of the emperor for trial.

Li Hong didn't understand.Zhang Chun was beaten by the Yellow Turban Army and fled Zhongshan Kingdom in embarrassment. It was half a year ago. For such a long time, the imperial court did not decree to punish Zhang Chun. Why did they suddenly decree to punish Zhang Chun when Zhongshan Kingdom was basically stable? Woolen cloth?Did Zhang Chun offend some dignitary in court?He decided to go and see Zhang Chun.

Li Hong ordered Zheng Xin, Wen Chou, and Zhao Yun to station their troops outside Zhending City.Once Zhang Yan's Yellow Turban Army withdrew from Zhending City, large troops were not allowed to enter the city, and only Wen Chou and Zhao Yun were allowed to bring 100 people into the city to maintain order.After Captain Pan Feng of Julu County arrived with [-] follow-up troops, they took over Zhending City.The credit for regaining Changshan must be given to the soldiers of Jizhou.

Li Hong took Shehu and a hundred black panthers under the leadership of Wei Zheng, and rushed to Xiaquyang day and night, catching up with the convoy escorting Zhang Chun.

Zhang Chun was very grateful to see Li Hongben traveling hundreds of miles to see him off.Zhang Chun lost a lot of weight, but he was in good spirits.

Li Hong asked very angrily: "My lord, what's going on? When I left Zhongshan, didn't you say it's all right?"

Zhang Chun said with a smile: "My son, I'm fine. Don't worry, even if I'm taken to Beijing, I won't be in any danger. When you left Zhongshan, the Yellow Turban Army was rampant in Jizhou. Who would dare to ask for trouble to go to Zhongshan?" Since no one is willing to come, of course the imperial court will not punish me, so I just let me hold on, so I must be fine at that time. It is different now. Since the war between Yingtao and the death of the leader of the Yellow Turban Army, Zhang Niujiao, the Yellow Turban The army was defeated like a mountain, and now everyone knows that Jizhou is not in danger. So now the position of Zhongshan Guoxiang is very hot, and everyone wants to grab it. I became a stumbling block, and naturally I will be convicted and sent to prison."

Li Hong asked strangely: "Zhongshan Kingdom has been severely damaged by the Yellow Turban Army. The people are suffering from hunger and hunger. The task of rebuilding and governing is very heavy. What's so hot about it?"

Zhang Chun said: "That's because you want to do things in a down-to-earth manner, and you want to do things for the country and the people, so you don't think this is a good job. But for those who corrupt the law and fill their pockets, this is a good job." It couldn't be a better job. According to the will of the emperor, all states and counties that suffered from the Yellow Turban disaster will be exempted from taxes for one year. Zhongshan is a big county. If the harvest is good, the annual tax is very considerable. After a year of forced burial, you can get a lot of money, and with the disaster relief funds secretly withheld, it will not be a problem to earn a bowl."

Li Hong was very sad, angry and disappointed.Why is this world so dark.Even if you become an official, it is difficult to be a better official, as if there is no place to stand in the world.

"It's okay if you want to open it up." Zhang Chun smiled, "When I arrive in Beijing, I can get rid of my crime with a little money. There is no danger. Now in the Han Kingdom, as long as you have money, you can buy anything, except the emperor. Can't buy it. Haha..."

Li Hong originally wanted to ask him if he had money to move around in the capital and open up the upper and lower joints, but thinking that he was penniless and unable to help Zhang Chun, he swallowed the words again.

The two chatted for a while, and Zhang Chun then asked: "My son, what happened to the suppression of the Yellow Turbans in Changshan?"

"I have already taken Zhending City, and several nearby counties are about to come." Li Hong said, "A few days ago, the emperor ordered me to take 5 horses to the Xiliang battlefield before April."

Zhang Chun was taken aback, and said loudly, "Xiliang? 5 troops? People, how is this possible? Where did you go to recruit [-] troops? This is an excuse for the court to kill you."

Li Hong said with a wry smile: "One step, one step counts."

Zhang Chun looked at him very sympathetically, and said: "You have such a poor background, you are so young, you have no old master, no family, and just relying on your military merits, you hacked a Zhonglang general with one knife and one knife. Think about it, how do you come out?" Don’t be hated by others? It’s normal for someone to openly frame you and slander you now. There are more people hiding in the corner, trying to kill you all the time. This kind of person is the scariest, you know? You must be careful This kind of insidious villain who stabs a knife in the back."

"Now is the time of war. You are famous and valuable. Even if you make a mistake, the emperor will not kill you. So just be careful, the danger is not too great. But in a few years, the war subsides, and you With no use value, when it comes time to cook dogs and hide bows, if you are still as naive as you are now, you will be killed sooner or later."

Li Hong's eyes widened, and he asked unconvinced, "Why am I so naive?"

Zhang Chun scolded him severely, and then said: "I am a criminal of the imperial court, and you still leave the front line to visit me privately, are you naive or what? Do you think I will be happy for you to visit me? You are bringing your own death. Do you think I will be happy when I die and implicate you? You have led the army to fight for more than a year, and you are still so confused. If you continue like this, You don't make progress, you will die soon, and you will bring tens of thousands of subordinates to accompany you to die for no reason, you know? If your mind is still good, after we break up today, you will have to think about it every day. on this."

Li Hong was dumbfounded by his scolding, and asked stupidly: "What do I think about every day?"

Zhang Chun was so angry that he cursed a few more times, and shouted loudly: "You have to think about how not to be killed, how to kill others, how to live, and how to keep those who follow you alive."

Li Hong nodded again and again, and said gratefully: "Thank you, Mr. Prime Minister, for your instruction."

Zhang Chun pointed to Wei Zheng again and said, "My son, Zhongshan has five thousand troops, all of whom are soldiers from the Yellow Turbans. Take advantage of your opportunity to bring troops to Liangzhou, and take them all away."

Li Hong said with a smile: "Even if you don't tell me, I will order the recruitment."

Zhang Chun glanced at him silently, and said slowly, "I'm leaving."

Li Hong hurriedly said: "My lord, take care all the way. After I come back from Xiliang, I will definitely visit you."

Zhang Chun shook his head and said sadly: "I'm afraid there is no chance. You can do it yourself."

The two bid farewell to each other.

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(End of this chapter)