Delong

Chapter 297

The heavy snow slowed down slightly, and the light snow continued.

This is not a good time to send troops, because the weather is cold and the roads are difficult to walk... The snow in the lower layer is about to freeze, but the upper layer is fresh snow, which is unbearably slippery.

But at this time, more than just dispatching troops, with the Banxian camp as the core, civilian husbands, field soldiers, including the newly formed troops that are routinely responsible for the transportation of military supplies, a total of hundreds of thousands of people have been dispatched to forests and fields in a radius of hundreds of miles. Logging, clearing snow and transporting firewood, the roads and fields are full of crowds.

In fact, if you say that there is no more firewood to burn, and you are about to freeze to death, then so many living people cannot be suffocated to death by urine, and it is only natural to go out to find firewood in straw sandals and winter clothes. People always like to be unconventional... When recruiting civilian husbands to work, they recruit civilian husbands, and when they are dragged out of the house, they have to give a symbolic amount of money. In winter, if you have money, you can't buy food and clothes, okay?

What is the use of a few copper coins?

Then a military depot was built along the road, every ten miles, and porridge was boiled in the military depot. The porridge was so thin that it couldn’t stand the chopsticks. Look ridiculous.

Not to mention, later on, the leader of the Dragon Gang who was known as the lord of the eight counties also came out to work with the leaders.

They also sweep snow and pull firewood, which makes many people feel uncomfortable.

"What do you think this is for?" Leading the troops away from the firewood transportation road, Shan Tonghai, the leader who was leading his troops on the march in the snow, couldn't help complaining to his confidant. "Before, I was more respectable in the Eastern Territory, but after crossing the river, it was as if I had changed people... The whole army has been adjusted to this point, so that the generals do not know the soldiers, and the soldiers do not know the generals. Then they turn around and come to buy people's hearts again. It’s not enough to buy people’s hearts, right? If it’s like this, don’t the other leaders have to follow suit?”

"Actually, are you okay?" Xiahou Ningyuan was stunned, and he was careful right away, but he avoided the matter of reorganizing the army. "Da Longtou said it when he came up today. It has nothing to do with his status. The main thing is that he has a cultivation base. He goes out to help, sets an example, and supervises the soldiers... and those with cultivation bases basically don't even have to work hard for this job." Can't be called."

"Of course I know this, I mean he bought people's hearts and bought the wrong people." Shan Tonghai sneered.

"Not really?" Xiahou Ningyuan thought for a while and said seriously. "Since the former Tang Dynasty went to the south, the world has been in chaos for hundreds of years. The Great Wei... The Baowei collapsed just as soon as it was about to be unified. It can be seen that the matter of soldiers and horses still needs to be taken seriously. Those who are powerful should always win over. ? In my opinion, whether it is buying people's hearts or earnestly wooing them, no matter how hard the leader treats the sergeants, it is understandable."

"Xiahou, you didn't understand." Shan Dalang was speechless. "I didn't say that you shouldn't buy the hearts of the soldiers, what I mean is that the way he bought the hearts of the soldiers was wrong... He is a big leader, if he wants to buy the hearts of the soldiers, he should also buy the hearts of the leaders, and those "soldiers" who have cultivation base It doesn't matter if people's hearts are in the heart, and then it is enough to control the army through the leader and these men of cultivation, but in the end, he directly gathers the bottom soldiers... What's the use of the soldiers?"

Xiahou was silent for a moment, and rode his horse in the snow for a while, before he seriously asked his boss: "Brother really thinks soldiers are useless?"

"That's not... that's my mouth." Shan Dalang corrected immediately. "Without soldiers, who will guard the city? Who will rule the place? Who will fill the army formation? If soldiers are useless, then is the cultivation of Zhengmai useful? If the cultivation of Zhengmai is useless, what about the strange scriptures? This kind of thing is layer by layer. If you really talk about it, wouldn’t it be useless below the condensed core, anyway, you can’t form a decent army formation? I mean, you have to follow the rules in everything, this is your own words... he This kind of dragon head, just go and grab our big leader, and our big leader will grab the leader, and then go down layer by layer, and he will gather directly to the bottom like this, and those of us in the middle will be uneasy."

Xia Hou nodded, he understood what his big brother meant, but after walking for a while, he shook his head slowly: "Brother, I think there are a few inappropriate things about you..."

Shan Tonghai originally just complained casually and expressed his attitude, but he didn't expect Xia Hou to be more serious, and he regretted it.But now, seeing that his brother has an opinion, why does he just want to shut up?

"What does Xiahou think?" Shan Dalang asked boldly.

"This matter is like this. First of all, the eldest brother feels that it is wrong because the eldest brother is the leader and is standing in front of the leader..." Xia Hou said seriously in the snow.

In the middle of the conversation, Shan Tonghai suddenly came to his senses, and laughed dryly for a moment: "I have already said that it should be the leader, and the big leader and the leader don't need to be so clearly distinguished."

Xia Hou still shook his head: "This is the problem. The leader comes out to win people's hearts, but it stops at the big boss. Big bosses like big brother are comfortable, but the bosses must have ideas; when it stops at the boss, people like me feel comfortable. The local rudder So what about the masters? But what about the team generals, those who have cultivated the extraordinary scriptures, what about the captains and those who have cultivated the right pulse? In addition to the ranks in the army, there are also regions. The eastern border of Hebei is the biggest talker in the army today... ...And everyone starts from their own self, one side has one idea, and the other side has another idea... This matter should not be compared only based on our personal opinions, otherwise it will not be appropriate anywhere."

"That's the reason." Shan Tonghai smiled, feeling that his complaints were getting burned, so he wanted to stop, but he still couldn't help being mean. "Then let's go back to the original meaning. To be fair... Zhang Dalong ran out to win over the sergeants, isn't he a bit greedy? Did he win all the sergeants of the 25th Battalion?"

"Since he wants to do great things, he should be greedy enough to buy people's hearts." Xia Hou did not back down. "The key is to see whether the spiritual energy he spends on people at all levels and places is fair or not, even and uneven... Brother, don't forget, why is the Wei Dynasty in the current situation? Didn't they always say that it was the two saints It's unfair to win people's hearts. In the eyes of the first emperor, only Guanlong people counted people, and he didn't win the hearts of Hebei and the East. In the eyes of this tyrant, he only looks at the people above and treats the people as dung. Just look at it, and it turned out to be broken. And what they have done today is obviously aimed at the sergeants, and it’s not like they haven’t bought the hearts of the leaders and big leaders before. If they didn’t buy them, where did the 25th Battalion come from?”

Shan Tonghai was embarrassed for a moment and could only remain silent.

But Xiahou Ningyuan didn't stop: "Now that we've talked about this, apart from these few reasons, I would like to take this opportunity to ask my brother today... I think we brothers have nothing to say... Can you tell me?" Clearly, what is the matter between you and Longtou? Do you still remember the matter of your elder brother and your uncle? Or is there something else wrong? Let me tell you, the eight counties in the east border are all gone, and now they are all here. In Hebei, the military and horse system is not the same as before, so it’s time to change the story.”

Shan Tonghai didn't reply in a hurry, but immediately looked at the winding military columns in the snow, thinking as he walked forward, and after a long time, he shook his head in reply:

"This matter is indeed a thorn... I have such a temperament, you should also know that even if you are jealous, you will get revenge. If you hold a grudge in your heart, you should never forget it... Besides, the incident just happened that day. It was just a pattern of two leaders and three big leaders. Wang Wu and Xu Da, who hasn’t secretly ruled the county and town? Isn’t Niu Da the same? It’s just that the three of them were more tactful and took me to the knife. How can this be forgotten? I will never forget it in my life.”

Xiahou Ningyuan nodded slightly, neither refuted nor catered to, but silently urged the horse to move forward, he knew that the other party must have other words.

"But in the end, it's not a question of a family uncle's life. It's a matter of face. You also said that the eastern border is almost equal, and people have come to Hebei." Shan Tonghai looked at his confidant brother, as if Some are heartbroken. "But I have been involved in the dispute between the two leaders for a long time. I have made the two major decisions that are the most thorny in his eyes... Now I want to manipulate it, so it is easier said than done? My heart Not reconciled, he will not let me go."

"If he doesn't let big brother off, why is big brother still a stable leader now? And even though the system has been changed, the soldiers and horses of our two brothers have not been reduced by half, and the family background in the east is also there... If it is said that he has no ability to move The big boss is also talking nonsense, isn't Zu Chenyan just a clerk in the barracks?" Xiahou spoke earnestly, and his intentions were self-evident.

"What do you know?" Shan Dalang answered proudly. "Am I the same thing as Zu Chenyan? I've had failures, but they were all defeated. It's better to say that the undefeated is better than Cheng Dalang. Debates on resolutions are just disputes, leaving the decision to do things." , Have I ever delayed military affairs? Have I ever shirked the official duties of the gang? I always try my best to do things for the gang, why should he move me?"

At this point, Shan Dalang thought for a while, and immediately took it seriously: "Actually, he shot himself in the foot with a stone. He was an empty leader before, so naturally he has to work hard to build our Dragon Gang" The rules and authority in the gang, and later he became so prestige that he could be domineering, but he was subject to the rules of the gang, so as long as I stick to the rules and don't show my feet in everything, everyone will know that we will not deal with it , What can he do? Unless he loses his face and wants to abolish his own rules, but for my position as a big leader, is it worth it?"

Xia Hou squinted his eyes slightly, but he had to admit that his once domineering elder brother had actually grasped some key points, and he was not reduced to an inappropriate idiot like the recent rumors.

This is indeed an idea.

Moreover, Xiahou himself followed his elder brother's thinking, got a little inspiration, and had some other ideas...that is, he vaguely felt that Zhang Longtou might also deliberately keep his elder brother, the recognized opponent and thorn in his head, to show his dignity I mean, or think a little boldly, and use my elder brother as a rule to show that he is willing to maintain unity within the gang.

In other words, Shan Dalang may look shaky, but in fact he is able to stand firm precisely because of his identity as an opposition.

Thinking of this, Xiahou Ningyuan felt relieved, he didn't bother to care about it, as long as his eldest brother didn't rebel, or that big leader could endure, why should he care?
The future of our family is only in the first battalion.

Leaving the Eastern Territory and coming to Hebei, a clean battalion of soldiers and horses, less involved, and no need to feel tired.

Just thinking about it, on the way of marching, a messenger suddenly came from the snow in front of him.

"Boss Shan! Chief Xiahou!" The envoy spoke with a Hebei accent. "My head Dou is here to invite you."

"He asked me to go to the former army?" Shan Tonghai asked coldly.

"No, we went to discuss with the leader Xiongda together." The envoy clearly heard Shan Tonghai's mood, and quickly corrected it.

Shan Tonghai sneered and stopped talking.

But Xiahou Ningyuan nodded, and the messenger walked away in embarrassment.

"These Hebei people are visibly shaking." Shan Tonghai shook his head.

"There are disputes everywhere, not to mention that this is Hebei, people think we are outsiders coming to oppress us!" Xiahou hurried to persuade. "Xiong Tianwang still needs to be respected."

"The main reason is that this guy from Hebei can't get on the stage, and everyone is petty..." Shan Tonghai said disapprovingly. "That's old boy Wei Xuanding and Xiong Bonan, who are originally from Hebei, take care of them."

Xiahou Ningyuan shook his head again and again, but compared to the previous topic, he didn't care much about it.

Besides, after the reorganization of the army, each battalion will be full of 500 people, which must include many gangsters, horsemen, hornmen, chariots, and some necessary craftsmen... This is Zhang Dalong's criticism For one thing, he has long been used to being called a cook, a groom, etc. He has to change it to a sergeant, saying that he wants to be equal to the sergeant... In short, basically every battalion has a final soldier of about [-], who can fight in a small area for a short time. A unit for independent attack and combat.

But isn't it necessary to transport food and loot this time in Wubao?Moreover, it was fighting in the snow and seeking safety, so the Ban County Camp allocated a lot of specialized craftsmen and vehicles, and temporarily removed some field soldiers to serve as auxiliary soldiers. The number was also three to four thousand.

Therefore, the marching column is a large-scale marching column based on these transport vehicles and auxiliary soldiers... Before Dou Lide fought, Xiong Bonan and Zhou Xingfan followed, then Xiahou Ningyuan, and finally Shan Tonghai.It is also because of this that the two generals who had been chatting side by side just moved forward a little and came to the south of Xiongbo, and they saw Dou Lide who was waiting here earlier.

They met each other and turned to the side of the road. Dou Lide got straight to the point: "Everyone, I sent scouts from the local area yesterday. I just came back from inquiring about the news. They said that it was because of the snow that cut off the traffic, and that Wubao was in Jiangling City. From the side, I didn't notice it at all, and the big dragon behind was making firewood, and there was a lot of movement. I'm afraid they will notice it tomorrow, so I came up with an idea... It's better to find a place in the front in the afternoon and set up camp. , eat and sleep enough to warm up, and then set off at night with the snowy scenery, rushing through at night, wouldn't it be easy to win?"

"It's not impossible." Xiahou Ningyuan nodded in approval. "According to what I said before I came here, the key is to quickly occupy the Wubao, establish a stronghold, and then transport the food back... If the surprise attack can be successful on a snowy night, save some effort, and the Wubao will be more complete, of course it will be fine."

Of course Xiahou would agree...Although everyone came to fight Wubao, their specific tasks and ideas are not completely the same.

For example, Dou Lide is from Hebei, and he is getting more and more useful. He won a battalion of new troops that is no worse than any other family, and he was fed meat porridge by Zhang Dalong. He really wanted to take this opportunity to prove his troops and personal ability, so he wanted to fight. try to be as beautiful as possible;
According to the deployment before coming here, after finishing these forts and robbing food, they did not give up directly. Most of the forts in the plains and Bohai Sea will take the opportunity to occupy them and become the strategic fulcrum for spring expansion. For example, the purpose of this trip Wubao, a rich family with the surname Huang in the area, was Xiahou Ningyuan who led the camp to stay behind after the war. Therefore, in addition to winning, he paid more attention to the integrity of Wubao;
As for Xiong Bonan and Xiao Zhou's intention to ensure that the military discipline of the two battalions will be refined during this operation, this is something Zhang Xing has repeatedly emphasized;

Only Tonghai alone, because it is only a reserve team, there is nothing to think about.

"There is something." Xiao Zhou thought carefully and asked seriously. "The key to our trip is to clean up the military discipline of each battalion, fight at night, and take advantage of the opportunity to hide private interests. How can we make a decision at present?"

"It doesn't matter." Dou Lide seemed to be well prepared. "We can calculate the time accurately, march in the evening, and raid in the early morning. It will be dawn at that time."

Up to this point, Xiao Zhou had nothing to say, and the matter was settled. Everyone began to calculate and discuss the distance and speed, and researched the camping site. After that, Dou Lide personally chose a position ahead, and the whole army stood in the snow. A simple camp.

Digging ditches is really difficult in winter, but according to the "Six Secret Teachings" version of the Dragon Gang, ice and snow were temporarily piled up and a simple camp was built.

Immediately, they started cooking and had a full meal, and most of the sergeants, civilian husbands, and craftsmen also went to bed early.

Among them, Shan Tonghai and his men were in charge of the peripheral security because they were considered as backup. Even though the possibility of military information leakage was extremely low, they were still meticulous and impervious. Wubao surnamed Huang and the nearby Jiangling County are under surveillance... It can be seen that although Chief Shan has always been full of complaints, after all, he had family military education when he was young, and then he had military experience. Don't read "Six Secret Teachings", which is constantly being revised, so no matter whether it is personal cultivation or military level, it has never dropped half a point.

It can indeed be regarded as the core combat force of the Dragon Clan.

Not to mention, Shan Tonghai's hard work actually paid off. In the evening, the snowflakes had stopped, and the scouts in front reported that a team came from the northwest, which was the target of this march, Jiangling County.

I don't know the exact number of people and the equipment, but there are about a thousand people.

At this time, the team of thousands of people who came out at this time must be taken seriously... Shan Tonghai did not dare to neglect, especially since the troops may leave at any time, so he communicated with the other leaders, and at the same time personally led the guards of the headquarters to reconnaissance.

Immediately, he met Wang Xiongdan who was leading a dozen or so pioneers.

"Why is Chief Shan here?" Wang Xiongdan asked in surprise with a tired face. "We noticed that someone was peeping in the snow, but we didn't expect it to be one of our own... Are you planning to mobilize troops?"

Wang Xiongdan is a serious leader, Shan Tonghai just frowned slightly, and said bluntly: "Yes, we are going to fight Wubao in the southwest of Jiangling City ahead... Did you disturb them on the way?"

"That's not true." Wang Xiongdan explained seriously. "Most of the team is old, weak, sick and disabled, and most of them are family members of the rebels. Instead of going to those Wubao for help, it is better to go to Ban County earlier...It is also luck to bump into the big boss."

"By the way, you guys went to Gaojibo to pick up someone." Shan Tonghai thought about it for a while, and then laughed. "It just so happened that Dou Lide was also behind, so it was a collision."

Wang Xiongdan also laughed when he heard the words, but suddenly lowered his voice and moved forward: "Boss, there are not only the family members of the rebels from Gaojipoli in the team, but also some refugees from Changhe County, and Li Si from Wu'an County. One of my master's students, although he is young, is a thoughtful and serious military officer, with more than a hundred elite sergeants, more than us... To do things, we must prevent him from making trouble, and also prevent the refugees from dispersing, Leak the news."

"I know." Shan Tonghai understood. "I'll go with you right now, keep an eye on the situation, you bring your own people first, and go to the camp to rest."

In this way, Shan Dalang went forward with Wang Xiongdan who turned around, and in a moment, he met a team of thousands of people stopped there in a forest.

The composition of the team is complex, as Wang Xiongdan said, most of them are old and weak, women and children, but there are also capable and tired sergeants, and no matter whether they are sergeants or old and weak, there are obviously two points... There are two to 300 people in the old and weak. Organized and well-organized, there are still four or five hundred people who are scattered and just follow behind; the elite sergeants are also divided into two groups, one group of four or fifty people is under Wang Xiongdan's command, and the other group has more than a hundred people. I am afraid it is the soldier of Wu'an County.

Sweeping his gaze, Shan Tonghai looked at a young knight as Wang Xiongdan secretly rubbed his fingers, but he just took a look, and then he was not in a hurry. :
"Which one is Mrs. Dou, Mrs. Cao?"

Unexpectedly, the people in the car just cringed and watched, and no one responded.

Instead, on the snow behind the convoy, a middle-aged woman with frostbite all over her hands rubbed her hands and poked her head out: "If you ask Dou Lide's family and sister Cao Chen about that, it will be me."

Shan Tonghai was stunned, laughed dryly for a while, and then sighed again: "Touhou Dou is lucky... Sister-in-law Dou, I am Shan Tonghai, the leader of the Dragon Clan. There is our camp ten miles ahead. Your husband and brother are here There, don't delay, let's start immediately!"

As soon as this remark came out, the whole team seemed to come alive, and Mrs. Cao also swayed in the snow and raised the quota with her hand.

The team set off again, and the young officer came first and cupped his hands: "Master Shan! We were ordered to send someone here..."

"That should be sent to the end." Shan Tonghai answered coldly. "Now listen to my military order, throw the corpses in the team on the ground, and come back to clean them up later. All the cars are discarded, and the sick and wounded are put on the horses. You lead the horses and set off immediately."

Su Jingfang was stunned. He didn't dare to resist a famous rebel and alchemy master, and he still had two hundred elite riders.

It's just that he was never convinced, so after a while, he asked again: "Master Shan, there are not enough horses and too many wounded, what should we do?"

Shan Tonghai immediately got off his horse and handed over the reins, causing Su Jingfang on the opposite side to look him up again before leading the horse away
Frankly speaking, there are more women, children, old and weak in the team. After several days of marching in the snow, many people have already been reduced due to illness, injury and frostbite, and deaths are not uncommon.But the team is full of family members, and Wang Xiongdan and Su Jingfang are not good at making decisions, so no one dares to abandon those corpses, bottles, and vehicles.

At this time, Shan Tonghai made a decision with one word, but let the team go into battle in an instant.

Including, the distance was twenty miles, but he only said ten miles, which inspired the team's speed even more.

In this way, the team set out on the road, with Shan Tonghai personally leading the formation on foot, commanding everything along the way, and when it was dark, no one complained, only continued to advance by the light of the snow, and soon saw the light of the camp.

By this time, beside him, there were many backward but persevering people gathered, and there was even a young lady with a red headband and a military sword hanging on her own initiative to help maintain order along the way... I only knew it on the Shantonghai Road , this little girl is Dou Lide's daughter, and she is also amazed, thinking that the country bumpkin is really lucky.

"Boss Shan!" When they came to the camp, a lieutenant general from the auxiliary battalion led hundreds of auxiliary soldiers to meet him, and after presenting a new horse, he told him something. "Boss Dou knew that his wife and daughter had arrived before, but the army had already been mobilized before, but he asked me to thank him, and then he still led the army and set off."

"Where are King Xiongtian and Xiahou?" Shan Tonghai got on his horse immediately and asked earnestly.

"Leader Xiahou is about to send troops, King Xiongtian and Leader Zhou are waiting for Chief Shan to send troops together." The officer continued to report.

"Okay, put these family members into the auxiliary barracks to resettle them. After we leave, we will follow the arrangements of the two leaders Wang Xiongdan and Ma Ping'er. I will go to the camp to prepare to send troops... Madam Cao, Miss Dou, you The two of you don't have to be busy anymore, and rest is the best thing after entering the camp." Shan Tonghai made proper arrangements, and at this point, he looked at Su Jingfang who had been observing coldly. "You kid, bring your people with me and send troops together."

It seems that he is worried about this court officer.

But Su Jingfang could only exhale white gas.

Mrs. Cao and Xiaoniang Dou both knew the opportunity and didn't dare to waste time to thank them. They just followed Shan Tonghai and bowed to each other. Hundreds of women, children, old and weak seemed to know what this stern leader was going to do. It was business, and they didn't dare to delay, but they all struggled to get up, and stood still in the bright snow, waiting for people to pass by, and then saluted one by one.

Shan Tonghai is used to being a big boss, a dignified man, and this kind of scene seems to be rare, so he just held his head high, waved his hands casually, and didn't look sideways.

As if he didn't care.

After a long time, until Shan Tonghai also led his troops to attack, Su Jingfang, who was forced to follow beside him, couldn't bear it any longer: "Uncle Shan's behavior along the way, it can be said that he deliberately planned to win people's hearts, but don't you feel too tired? A group of women and children, is it worth it?"

Dress neatly, and by the way put on a half-cut white short cloak that represents the status of the big leader. Shan Tonghai turned his head coldly, but did not talk to this kid, instead pointing to this guy who was dressed the same as Xiong Tianwang and others next to him and said earnestly:

"Look, this is the reason why Violent Wei lost the world! Little do you know the simple truth that Hainei has long understood, everything is people-oriented... To win the hearts of the people, it is worth noting that it is worth it, that is what the military officials of the imperial court can say. "

Below Xiong Bonan, many masters of the Dragon Clan, mainly from the East, nodded their heads one after another, saying that Chief Shan's words were very true, and that the court was hopelessly hopeless.

By the way, I despise Su Jingfang's short-sightedness.

PS: Thanks to the new leader, Saint Immortal Qitian... I am very grateful.

When I woke up today, I felt like I was five years older, and my mouth ulcers made me groggy for a long time... The broken back last night was indeed a sign.

(End of this chapter)