Chapter 363 Lao Dengxing (Part 1)
In late July, the millet in the ground had gradually turned a little golden.
The soldiers guarding the Yellow River became even more nervous.
The Puyang and Xingyang areas were severely damaged, and even Chenliu was plundered many times. There were not many crops that survived and grew well, and some of them were even replanted grains. The closer to the harvest, the more nervous everyone became. Everyone was worried that the Huns would march southward and rob their food.
This is not alarmist. According to the reports of the scouts who crossed the river for reconnaissance, the Huns had begun to mobilize troops to the north bank of the river, and their intentions were very obvious.
"Where is Mr. Chen?" Wang Yan asked as the ship passed by Putianze.
“Has returned from Fan County.”
The boat sailed quietly down the river.
The scenery of Shuibo Zeguo is a bit monotonous, with reeds, shoals, rivers and lakes everywhere.
Except for the government's water boats, there were very few ships for merchant travel, probably because the threat of war faced by Xingyang was too great.
On the grassland on the shore of the lake, there are cattle and sheep everywhere, and herds of donkeys and mules.
The land cannot be cultivated, but it would be a great sin to leave the land unused. It is better to graze some livestock and eat the fresh and juicy grass by the lake. Once the enemy attacks, it will be easy to move. After all, the farmland cannot be moved.
When the ship docked at Junyi, I felt a little popular again.
This is the territory of the Beggar Army, and most of the people living here are not Junyi locals.
But no matter where you are from, it is good if you can stabilize and fill your local household registration, although the beggar army does not pay money or food at all.
Seed and reap, train by yourself, and send troops to fight for the government in vain, this is the norm for most armies in the world at this time.
The Chen Wu Department of the Beggar Army is such an organization that is half peasants and half soldiers. It can pull out five to six thousand infantry and cavalry, acting as the second line of defense behind Wen Shijin's armies.
Hearing that Wang Yan and Lieutenant Wang arrived by boat, beggar commander Chen Wu came to visit with his uncle Chen Chuan and his son Chen Chite.
Wang San, the prefect of Chenliu, also arrived with his assistants from the county. Wang San served first in Sima Ying's Mansion and later in Yue Mansion. He was trusted by Sima Yue and was a typical member of Sima Yue's party.
Of course, the begging army is actually also Sima Yueyu's party.
Ah Yue's inheritance is really large. Otherwise, how could Shao Xun be so obsessed with his sister-in-law?
After seeing the chief general Chen Liu, Wang Yan got off the boat and chatted with everyone in a grass pavilion by the river.
Pan Tao, who returned from Luoyang, also followed him. Everyone saluted him one after another, and the voice of "Pan Changshi" kept coming.
Obviously, here in Chen Liu, the status of "Wang Taiwei" and "Pan Changshi" are almost the same, and even "Pan Changshi" can speak better.
As for the court officials below the rank of Taiwei, one can imagine the cold reception they will receive.
Wang Yan was secretly frightened while chatting with them about irrelevant things.
I really don’t know if I don’t come down and take a walk.
Chen Liu was not like this two or three years ago - his son Wang Xuan once served as an official in Chenliu County.
The changes in the entire Henan and Yanzhou can be traced back to three years ago when Sima Yue first left the town of Xuchang and then went to Yanzhou.
Although he seemed a little embarrassed, he placed a lot of people in the local area. Wang San took office almost after that.
After three years of fermentation, Yuzhou is still nothing, but Yanzhou has already had a profound imprint of the King of the East China Sea.
Take Chen Liu as an example. From local officials to the army, they are all people from Sima Yue, many of whom are from Qingxu Prefecture.
These people are all with Shao Xun now, right?
Wang Yan remembered what his former colleagues in the Yue Prefecture said in the letter: During the shogunate meeting, the first seat under the concubine Pei's head was the military commander Shao Xun.
It happened that at this time everyone was talking about Shao Xun, and Wang Yan said: "Chen Gong broke Gou Xi, he is really Han Bai in this world."
When Chen Wu heard this, he repeatedly praised: "I have The people who accompanied Chen Gong on the expedition were full of praise for Chen Gong when they came back, and said that I don't know how to fight, haha."
Everyone laughed.
Prefect Wang Tan also said: "If the Xiongnu goes south and Puyang, Chenliu and Xingyang are close to each other, Duke Chen will have to come to coordinate the command. We will fight against the Han and just obey orders."
"In the battle of Xinzheng last year, we captured Wang Sang, and the battle was really beautiful."
"Wang Sang has been tortured in Beijing, right?"
Wang Yan smiled and nodded.
After Wang Sang, Hou Tuo, Pang Shi and others were sent to Luoyang, they were briefly interrogated and then handed over to Luoyang County to be beheaded in public as a warning to others.
The execution of these three people actually restored a little bit of the court's prestige - just a little.
Pan Tao looked on with a smile.
The appointment of Mr. Chen as military commander is not without flaws. He has too many shortcomings. However, the fact that he can fight and protect everyone's wealth is enough.
Even those who were dissatisfied with him acquiesced and even supported this matter.
In troubled times, everything else is empty. If you can't win on the battlefield, nothing will work. Wang Yan also felt this deeply.
Now, he no longer has any doubts about siding with Shao Xun. The emperor is ignorant and will only ruin the situation. This is the consensus of the important ministers in the court.
After leaving Luoyang, the emperor should really come and see what is going on outside, lest he really think that he is still the ruler of the world.
A few years are enough to change a lot of things.
******
On July 28, Wang Yan arrived at Kaocheng, then changed to a carriage and arrived at the Zhenjun General's Mansion the next day.
It was a little deserted along the way, but there were some positive signs.
Last night, dozens of them stayed in a semi-abandoned village. There are only a few families left in the village. When I inquired, they all came back from relatives' homes in Yingchuan this year.
They also said that the Yanzhou army was under the command of Chen Gong, so Chen Liu should be fine.
After hearing this, Wang Yan was silent for a long time. Prestige is something that cannot be seen or touched, but sometimes it can really be eaten.
Well, the people who came back also said that Mr. Chen will marry Concubine Pei soon. From now on, Chen Liu will be as stable as Mount Tai, so he can live in peace.
Wang Yan couldn’t laugh or cry about this.
Perhaps the people simply hope that Mr. Chen can stay in Chenliu. As for what it means to marry Concubine Pei and what the consequences will be, they don't understand and don't bother to think about it.
An army came back near Kaocheng: the Yamen Army led by Li Zhong.
The Xuchang town soldiers who served as auxiliary soldiers finished their combat mission and went home to harvest food.
As for the future of the Yamen Army, it has actually been decided: disbanded.
In other words, Li Zhong led the Yamen Army to defeat Zhao Gu on Mount Tai and drive him away. This was the last organized battle of the Yamen Army.
After the disbandment of the Yamen Army, they will be collectively converted into government soldiers. As for where they will be relocated, there is no conclusion yet. But what is certain is that Shao Xun did not want to leave this army that he had led for many years to the court. After all, he already knew that he would no longer be a general of the Forbidden Army. There were too many people who tipped him off, including Wang Yan. .
Wang Yan didn't know the future of the Yamen Army, but he subconsciously felt that Shao Xun would not leave any advantages to the court.
But he was too lazy to care. The building was about to collapse, and more than one or two people could withstand it. Let it fall as it should. All he can do is to hold on and gain benefits for the family before it overturns.
"Yang Zhong, what do Mr. Chen want to do?" Wang Yan couldn't help but ask while enjoying the cool night.
"What do Yifu think of Duke Chen's prestige in Yanzhou?" Pan Tao asked rhetorically.
“Judging from the fact that Chenliu is a place with great prestige.”
"Then I can tell Yifu that Mr. Chen is very close to him in Chenjun, Yingchuan, Xiangcheng, Xingyang and other counties." Pan Tao smiled and said: "Does Yifu know that Mr. Chen wants to marry the daughter of Yu Zimei, the governor of Jijun?"
Wang Yan really didn’t know, so he asked: "I heard from Shizhong Yu earlier that we were engaged. Are we going to get married this time?"
"Of course." Pan Tao said: " Mr. Chen will marry his bride in Xuchang, probably at the end of the year, or early next year. "Why is it difficult to determine the date?" Wang Yan asked curiously.
"It's not because of the Xiongnu." Pan Tao sighed: "Mr. Chen was worried that fighting for months would delay the wedding, so he moved it as far back as possible. But this matter is already known to everyone and cannot be changed. Now It only spreads in Yingchuan, and by August, it will spread throughout Xiangcheng, Nanton, Xincai, Runan, Chenjun, Liangguo, Chenliu and other places. After the autumn harvest, most of Yuzhou will know about it."
Wang Yan was a little distracted for a moment.
“Now I can answer Yifu.” Pan Tao smiled and said, “Mr. Chen wants to turn Henan into his Henan.”
After saying that, Pan Tao left the town army. General's Mansion.
Wang Yan sat in the courtyard, looking at the silver moonlight, quietly lost in thought.
It's a pity that I didn't bring the divination equipment with me, otherwise I could have made a fortune.
However, maybe there is no need for it. You can figure out some things just by thinking about it.
Shao Xun only provides people with one thing from beginning to end: safety.
At the beginning, some people may be stuck in old opinions and disagree with this.
But as the chaos intensifies, things like security become more and more expensive, more valuable, and more and more priceless.
Shao Xun has been selling it till now——
Someone is willing to give up all his wealth, become a concubine in the house, and bear children for him.
Some people are willing to spend a lot of money just to find a position for their nephew in his prince's or duke's mansion.
Some people are willing to hire him as a military commander just to keep the wealth of orphans and widowed mothers.
Someone personally led the troops into battle and fought for him, just to get protection in the future.
The things Shao Xun sold were so good that even he was moved.
Alas, Chen Jun's house may have been built in vain. Next, it's time to go to Xuchang to buy property...
(End of this chapter)