Delong

Chapter 321 Tiger Row (22)

After daybreak, the army of the dethroning dragon army left the two battalions of Dantonghai and Xiahou Ningyuan in Changhe for strategic support, and then the whole army slowly retreated south.

From the way back, everyone clearly noticed the change in wind direction.

It's not another wind, it's a real wind, the northeast wind slowly turned into an east wind, and finally turned into a southeast wind, the ground was no longer frozen in the morning, the mud exuded a vibrant smell, and sprouts were everywhere and migratory birds.

But on the side of the army, for the time being, no one dared to go to the fields to cultivate.

So Zhang Xing asked the soldiers to recover the abandoned Wubao along the way, and at the same time knocked on the doors of every household in the village... He still maintained a certain excess of caution in the issue of military rations, so there was no food in the early relief relief, and he was not willing to give up any old rice. Yes, I just wish these people would dig wild vegetables immediately, but with some copper coins and weapons as funding.

The land of Hebei is so depressed that it is unrealistic to expect copper coins and ironware to be of any use in a short time.

This action is mainly to dispel the vigilance of the common people. It is always good to give things for nothing.

The day of arriving at Jiangling was the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. Zhang Xing was extremely busy and had no intention of celebrating the Lantern Festival... He stopped here and issued a series of military and political orders:
Officially appoint the leader Qian Tangling to stay in Pingyuan County;

Appoint the leader Zheng Ting to stay behind for Bohai;
Appoint the big boss Chen Bin as the chief internal affairs officer of Hebei's public security;

Bai Yousi was dispatched to lead the Dengzhou Army, and together with Cheng Zhili, Cheng Mingqi, Ma Ping'er and their three leaders and their troops, they appointed Bai Yousi as the commander of the side division, and Cheng Zhili and Wang Zhen as their deputy, to escort Zheng Ting to the east. Sweep and take over Balhae County;

Send Wei Xuanding, Xu Shiren, Wang Shuyong, Xie Minghe and Jia Yue, Xu Kaitong, Zhang Shanxiang, Guo Jingke, and Fan Wang to lead the troops to Pingyuan City, as the West Road Partial Division. Among them, Wei Xuanding is the commander, Xu Shiren and Wang Shuyong are the deputy, responsible for the surveillance on the western front communicate with;
They dispatched Xiong Bonan and Liu Zhouchen to lead the two battalions directly under the military law to return to the Mamianhe camp to form a military law team to clean up the battlefield and release the civilians. The soldiers and soldiers turned back together;
Send Gao Shitong, Dou Lide, and Shang Huai'en to lead the troops back to Banxian Daying to form a garrison team to supervise the garrison soldiers to quickly start garrison activities;
Dispatch Wu Jingfeng and Lu Hongyue to lead the troops to Lujiao Pass on the west side of Douzigang, in charge of preparing for crossing the river after the ice melts, repatriating the wounded from the eastern border to the eastern border, and dispatching materials from the eastern border to go north;
Appoint Fu Boshi, Zhai Qian, Zhuge Dewei, Zhou Xingfan, Zu Chenyan, Yan Qing, Hao Yide, Wang Xiongdan, Fan Bao, Tang Bairen, Wang Fubei and other leaders to form a combat meritorious team, and go to various places to carry out this combat merit test. Review the meritorious service of soldiers reported by each battalion and clean up the battlefield;
The Appointed Military Merit Group and the two military judges Xiong Bonan and Liu Zhouchen jointly summarized after each incident. With Xiong Bonan as the leader, the meritorious sergeants, auxiliary soldiers, and selected prisoners and surrendered soldiers, plus Wang Fubei's troops and Dengzhou Army , to prepare for the second army reorganization, in addition to making up for the battalions lost in battle and strengthening the artisan battalion, a new five battalion of soldiers should be formed, and based on the experience of this battle, set up scouts, long swords, light cavalry, heavy armor, There are special camp heads such as crossbows;

In addition, the above-mentioned groups must strictly implement the relevant requirements of the Dragon Clan for spring plowing, abide by discipline in the station and on the march, and supervise spring plowing matters;
Finally, the generals Dou Pi and Guo Shiping who had been beheaded before, as well as the generals who were beheaded in this battle, were handed over to the public.

Things are naturally considered logical, but almost everyone has noticed that Zhang Xingzhang and Zhang Dalongtou's various orders are all issued in the form of standard documents, and they are in duplicate, one for the parties and one for the future. Inside the mausoleum.

Moreover, there is a new inscription on the document - Zhang San, the leader of the left-wing leader of the Dragon Clan, Hebei Military and Political Commander-in-Chief.

These made the dragon gang discuss a lot, but no one dared to delay the important errand assigned to them, each of them hurriedly went, and then continued to discuss in private.

In addition, what everyone is concerned about is that although Zhang Xingren is in Jiangling, only a few dozen miles away from Mamianhe Daying, Ande, and Changhe, only the newcomers Chen Binhe Jia Runshi and a few people stayed by the side of the leader and commander-in-chief.

Combined with the accident and outbreak that night, the leaders of the Dragon Clan inevitably became more cautious.

Of course, these people were thinking too much. Zhang Xing seemed to have his own work when he stayed in Jiangling. He actually took on the task of the so-called "Spring Plowing Team" himself, and also handled some miscellaneous special matters.

For example, some strange captives and a few special personnel issues.

"Sister Cao doesn't want to be the leader?" Zhang Xing, who was sitting on a tree stump in casual clothes at the intersection outside Jiangling City, frowned slightly at a woman in front of him. "Are you worried that Chief Dou will feel uncomfortable there? Cover him up?"

"Yes... there is a little bit." Elder sister Cao, who was wearing a set of simple leather armor, was Mrs. Dou Cao Xi, obviously a little embarrassed. "But the main thing is that I still feel that what I do is some chores in the camp. I have neither credited for going to battle, nor have I directly managed the crucial logistical tasks such as military rations and military uniform transfer production. Mend some clothes, sweep the ground, bury the cesspit...how can you be the leader because of this? I'm afraid other people will gossip."

"I think these things are quite worthwhile." Zhang Xing took it seriously. "It's worth being a leader, otherwise we wouldn't have asked Eldest Sister to come over... Besides, we don't lack people who know how to fight, those who dare to fight, but what we lack are those who are willing to do chores like Eldest Sister."

Sister Cao was obviously still uneasy.

"Then wait a little longer." Seeing this, Zhang Xing had no choice but to give up temporarily. "Let's talk about it in a few days, and I have to work hard to go to Changhe City to help... The city is empty, and some soldiers need to be relocated there, and we need to clean up and settle down from the beginning, and the people of Changhe may come back in the future. I hope you can pay attention there in advance. Next, help mediate if necessary."

Only then did Cao Xi heave a sigh of relief, bent down and saluted, and was about to turn around and leave, but was stopped by Zhang Xing, who wrote a formal appointment document for her to hold, and asked Shan Tonghai to cooperate. That's it.

As soon as the person left, Zhang Xing looked at a young man in civilian clothes standing aside: "Why didn't you just run back before?"

"Report to Master Uncle." That person, that is Su Jingfang, answered respectfully. "It's mainly Chen Sima... Boss Chen was too unexpected anyway. I only realized that a big battle was about to start when the army came to attack... When I wanted to escape, I was already wrapped up by Xue Changxiong and couldn't move."

"How did you survive?" Zhang Xing continued to ask. "Do you have friendship with Fu Boshi?"

"No." Su Jingfang was a little embarrassed. "I told him that although I was an officer, I came from a wealthy family in Hebei, and I was the son-in-law of a certain leader... Although he was skeptical, he still held me down."

Zhang Xing was silent for a while, and then asked seriously: "Do you want me to be a matchmaker?"

Su Jingfang was startled when he heard the words, and shook his head again and again: "It's just a joke... A man has not accomplished his career, so what should he do with his family?"

"Master Ni didn't delay the matter, did he?" Zhang Xing retorted immediately.

"That's because Master has the ability and wholeheartedly supports Master." Su Jingfang immediately pointed out the key point.

"That's why I feel that they have delayed you..." Zhang Xing shook his head and said. "You'll regret it when you're older."

Su Jingfang was noncommittal.

"Does your master know that your master is in Wuyang in the southwest?" Zhang Xing thought for a while, and didn't bother with this small problem any more, but turned to the real business.

"know."

"Talk to your master after you go back, and ask him if he can join forces with the other counties who sent troops to ask Ji County for some food, and then we will spend money to buy it... The people in Hebei have suffered too much for the past two years, and they are poor. I can’t even eat it, and the food in those warehouses in Ji County is essentially the blood of the people in Hebei.” Zhang Xing put forward two formal requirements. "Besides, please ask him to ask me about the whereabouts and results of Niu Da and the prisoners of Chanyuan. How about exchanging prisoners of war, especially Niu Da? If you just die, I will kill that eunuch and exchange his body with the imperial court."

After hearing this, Su Jingfang couldn't help but have teeth ache, and then seriously raised the question in his heart: "Master, since you have something to ask of my master, why are you so aggressive?"

"What did I beg him for?" Zhang Xing asked earnestly while supporting the stump.

"Beg him to exchange food, find someone..." Su Jingfang was speechless.

"It's fair to find someone." Zhang Xing answered seriously. "Isn't it natural for the living to exchange the living, and the dead to exchange the dead?"

"What about the food?" Su Jingfang continued to ask.

"I begged him for food?"

"Isn't it?"

"Little Su." Zhang Xing sighed, his words were extremely sincere. "Remember the few words I said today... Let me ask you, for whom am I begging for food? For myself? For the Dragon Gang? There are more than [-] battalions of the Dragon Gang. The state's old grain and the support from the Eastern Territory after the autumn harvest last year, plus the just-captured Hejian Daying army rations... If you want to say that there is still a shortage of food, but if you bite your teeth and tighten your belt, you will definitely be able to get by... I want food for the millions of people in the Bohai Sea and the plains, as well as for the people in Qinghe, Wuyang, and even your Wu'an County, how come it turns out that I want food?"

"But Shishu." Su Jingfang answered seriously. "Isn't the Bohai Sea and the plains the territory of your Dragon Gang? Qinghe Wuyang, isn't it considered something in your pocket? You ask for food for them, but don't you want it for yourself? Are you all stupid? ?"

"This is the problem between you and your master, put the cart before the horse." Zhang Xing said angrily. "Why conquer the world and seize the territory? Is it just to conquer the world and seize the territory? I, Zhang San, came out to rebel, and I couldn't bear the people's lives, and your master and you are full of heroic deeds... ...Especially your master, it's not that you don't understand, you have to pretend not to see...the so-called unification of the world is to reduce wars in the future; The officers and soldiers don’t care if they can’t get enough food, and I beg for them, but it turns out to be my own selfishness instead?”

Su Jingfang didn't say anything more.

Obviously, he knew that he couldn't argue with this uncle, who was almost the only tongue, but he was not convinced, because no matter how unreasonable the other party was, it couldn't change the fact that at this time, the imperial counties on the western front were asked to ask for food. , is essentially beneficial to the Dragon Gang.

Unless one day this master Zhang is willing to sacrifice the major strategic interests of the Dragon Gang for the sake of the people under the imperial court, otherwise that is the case.

Seeing this, Zhang Xing certainly knew what the other party was thinking, but this question had already touched the root. If he could convince the other party with a few words, instead of having to argue with Li Ding for so long, he simply waved his hand and dismissed it:
"It doesn't matter, anyway, don't forget these explanations... Your subordinates told them to take the northern line and go back directly... I will give you a horse. It is not easy to give you armor and equipment, otherwise you will not be able to survive in the Eastern Capital." Make an explanation in front of people."

"Yes." Su Jingfang cheered up and walked away.

After Su Jingfang left, someone escorted another prisoner over after a while. The prisoner was also dressed in civilian clothes, but he was obviously disturbed when he arrived.

"Your Excellency is Zhang Gongshen?" Zhang Xing only asked earnestly on the tree stump. "Have we met twice?"

"Yes." Zhang Gongshen answered cautiously. "Zhang Longtou has a good memory."

"It belongs to the enemy and us, and the battlefield is ruthless, but now that the dust has fallen, you should go back too." Zhang Xing was particularly straightforward this time. "Your young general should also take him away... Tell General Luo that his son is too troublesome, and the people below don't know his cultivation level, so he broke his leg and go back to have a better life. It's not a big deal."

Zhang Gongshen was stunned for a moment, overjoyed, immediately leaned over and cupped his hands, sincerely thanked: "Zhang Longtou's kindness, I will never forget it, and thank you for my young general."

"It's okay." It was rare to meet someone who didn't need to be calculating, and it was also rare for Zhang Xing to stand up and help the other party. "Let's not say that the two families have no conflict of interest at all... but there is, from time to time, no one knows when it's time to ask someone else. Besides, I heard Chief Chen talk about you. If you are affectionate, it is really innocent to be involved, but there is no need to be like this."

Saying that, the two pushed back a few more times, and then let the other party leave directly.

As soon as the person left, Zhang Xinggan sat for a while, then turned around and picked up the shovel from behind the tree stump, then used his true energy, and continued to dig the tree root... It turned out that he was sitting here with the head of the camp directly under the headquarters Some people came out to dig tree roots to find firewood, and they just handled some chores in the middle.

Not to mention how Zhang Dalongtou insisted on voluntary labor during the holidays, but on the other side, Su Jingfang traveled westward lightly, quickly crossed Qinghe County, and arrived at Liaocheng, an important town at the junction of Qinghe and Wu'an, where he met the imperial troops on the western front who were hesitating after hearing the results of the battle ahead. However, he easily found the pawn of the county, and then met the father who led the army in the battalion.

As a result, before he could sit still, another envoy came to summon him to meet him in the big tent of the Chinese army.

Su Jingfang didn't dare to neglect, he hurriedly followed the envoy to the big tent of the Chinese army, after saluting, he stood up, but saw that the tent was full of seven or eight people, the rest of the generals and schools were just listed below, and his master was only among seven or eight people The person in the middle sat in the third position from the left, and the person in the middle was an elderly man with a graceful posture, who did not look like a general.

"This is the Prince of Ji County, then General Qu Tu, Duke Yuan of Wei County, Ambassador Lu of Yecheng, Duke Yuan of Wuyang County, Duke Zhang of Zhao County, and Duke Chen of Xiangguo County..." Li Ding roughly introduced some. "All the officials of Hebei West Road are here, you can answer whatever you ask, don't hide it in the slightest."

Su Jingfang quickly agreed.

Hence, Wang Huaidu, who was the oldest, oldest, and most senior, spoke first, but asked nonsense: "Is Ma Mianhe really defeated?"

"Yes." Su Jingfang lowered his head and said something.

"How far has it been defeated?" Another person hastily asked, but Yuan Baocun, the sheriff of Wuyang County, was found.

"More than [-] people were captured, the casualties were countless, all supplies, armaments, and war horses were seized. Among the three Zhonglang generals who were masters of alchemy, one General Dou Pi died in battle, and one General Murong Zhengyan was seriously injured and sent away halfway. , only one general Gao Zhan who was not present remained. In addition, General Guo Shiping of Zhonglang was killed in battle, General Luo Shu and General Li Li were seriously injured in the direction of Youzhou, and General Luo Xin, the only son of General Luo Shu, was seriously injured and captured. Commander Sima Chen Bin, General Wang Fubei, General Feng Duan, and General Zhang Daoxian were captured." Su Jingfang roughly said. "Pingyuan County Governor Qian Tangju County surrendered, and Bohai Governor Zhou was captured. Before the end of the day, the Dragon Army has already begun to sweep the cities of Bohai."

Rao, everyone probably had heard a lot of information before, and they couldn't help looking at each other in astonishment when they heard the words, and their faces turned blue.

"I want to ask you something, you must tell the truth." Suddenly someone spoke, it was Qu Tuda, a general with a yellow beard.

"Excuse me, General Qu Tu." Su Jingfang was extremely respectful.

"Do you know why General Xue didn't wait for us and gave the bandit army such a good opportunity by dividing the troops for nothing?" Qu Tuda opened his eyes wide and asked sharply as he stood up and walked forward to Su Jingfang. "Did that Chen Bin, who was a traitor, do it on purpose?"

"If you ask anything else, the general may not know, but this matter is clear, because the general was in the Mamianhe village in the Hejian camp at that time, and he could hear clearly." Su Jingfang raised his head, neither humble nor overbearing.

"Then make it clear." Qu Tuda couldn't hurry.

"Because everyone in the Hejian camp suspected that after the victory of General Qutu, Chanyuan would rely on his merits and not go to help." Su Jingfang spoke clearly. "The purpose of doing this is to fake the name of General Qu Tu. One is to seek victory, and the other is to urge General Qu Tu to march quickly... As for Chen Bin, the last general boldly guessed that it should be Youzhou. The Pianshi was suddenly defeated, he was worried about being punished, and he made up his mind on the spur of the moment, because on the day of his arrival, he went to the main tent to write a document to force Wang Fubei to go south..."

"Ridiculous!" Qu Tuda suddenly shouted angrily, but turned around and sat back in his seat, and then remained silent.

There was a moment of silence in the tent.

It was Li Ding who said: "Don't guess randomly, there are some things you don't understand at all, how can you guess clearly?"

"Yes." Su Jingfang was extremely obedient, and he didn't even mention that he had talked about this matter with Zhang Gongshen, half of the parties involved.

"I'm not saying he's ridiculous." Qu Tuda breathed out slowly. "In my opinion, what your student said is probably true... It was the same in the Eastern Realm before. When we made an appointment to fight together, some people couldn't help but take a quick step, and some couldn't help but drag a few steps... It's nothing more than that each regards the headquarters as the root and the friendly army as the opponent, which is why the bandit army repeatedly takes advantage of it. But I say it is ridiculous, it is that such a thing is so simple, everyone knows this truth, and even the example is right in front of you , but still no one can truly do things with a public mind.”

"Let me tell." The local owner Yuan Baocun looked up to the sky and sighed. "It's not that the officials and the army are absurd... The opinion of the sect has been like this since ancient times. It can only be suppressed properly if the prestige of the court is strong... The real absurdity is that a group of thieves started in mere gangs, a group of traffickers, scribes, and local tyrants. It’s ridiculous to be united and work together.”

The hall was silent.

After a while, Yuan Baocun seriously came to ask the person standing next to him: "Vice Envoy Li, I heard that Zhang Xuguo had actually defeated half of the main force of the Dragon Army at the Eastern Border that day, and the army had almost collapsed, but It was the rebel Zhang San who instigated, gathered the defeated soldiers, and waited for work with leisure, but won a big victory... Is it true?"

The person next to him turned around, and it turned out to be Li Qingchen. He turned slightly pale when he heard the words, but he still held his hands sincerely: "It's true... Zhang San has the ability to inspire people's hearts, which Li has never seen in his life... It seems that when the critical point is reached... Every moment, people around are willing to work hard for him."

Yuan Baocun nodded, and looked at Wang Huaidu again: "No matter what, Wang Gong, let's write that Chen Bin betrayed the master and made a strategy for General Xue to divide the army. Otherwise, General Xue will not look good."

"It's natural." Wang Huaidu nodded, and looked at Su Jingfang in front again. "You were let off by Zhang Xing, he must have something to say, right?"

"Yes." Su Jingfang came to his senses and hurriedly answered. "Reporting to the prince, Zhang San, the first thief, wants me to convey two things. One is to exchange prisoners, especially Niu Da, the leader of the chieftain... He said that he also has a prefect of Bohai Zhou in his hand. Niu Da, if Niu Da is dead, the body can be exchanged, he can kill the prefect Zhou and continue to exchange."

Many people couldn't help but sneered, but didn't say much.

But Wang Huaidu thought about it, and looked at Qu Tuda.

Although Qu Tuda was upset, there was really nothing to worry about, so he answered directly: "I don't know where Niu Da is, but exchanging prisoners is a common practice in the army... Captain Qin, you handle this matter."

A tall and tall captain turned around, and calmly cupped his hands. It turned out to be Qin Bao, who was promoted after pacifying Jing Xiang: "The general will know."

Now that this matter is over, Su Jingfang continued to report: "In addition, he also suggested that the prefects of West Hebei Road should take people's livelihood as the basis, and should ask for more food from the warehouses in Ji County, and provide relief to the counties in Hebei. …It is said that after years of fighting, the people in Hebei can no longer eat grass.”

Hearing these words, the tent was filled with silence, and everyone had different expressions.

After a while, it was still Yuan Baocun who asked seriously: "Everyone, this thief has already regarded us as nothing in his words, and regarded us and several counties as his territory, what can we do?"

There was no answer around.

Yuan Baocun waited for a while, then got up suddenly, walked out, walked to the door, turned back again, then lost his composure for no reason, and pointed his fingers at the senior staff in the tent: "When the troops were dispatched, you all said, Xue Changxiong is The fierce tiger descended the mountain! It turned out that Xue Huhu was just a sick tiger! But today this line roared through the air! Do you know who the real tiger is?"

After speaking, he walked away.

The rest of the people knew that Yuan Baocun's position in Wuyang County was awkward, and it might or might not be able to keep it, so they tossed and turned and lost their composure in the past few days, but they didn't blame him... and the rest didn't have this worry for the time being, so they were stable Some.

Therefore, after people leave, there are many heroes and heroes, but there is still no sound, and no one speaks easily.

As the saying goes:
The trees in the southern mountains and the northern mountains are dark, and the tigers walk around the forest in the daytime.

Xiang Wan served as a Taoist food, and the elk in the mountains were silent.

(End of this chapter)