Regarding the matter of moving the capital, Zhao Yi, the king of Wuwei County, did not have any particularly profound insights. The main reason was that he came to Chushan with an edict this time to represent Zhou He. Gaochunnian, Hu Kai and others asked Xu Huai for his opinion on this matter.
Seeing that Xu Huai clearly opposed this matter, Zhao Yi did not talk much about this topic, but asked about Chushan's follow-up arrangements after Yue Hailou withdrew his troops.
This is what Xiangyang is eager to understand.
The more detailed information is learned, and the more people in Xiangyang understand that it was no accident that Chushan was able to force Yue Hailou to withdraw his troops, the more people in Xiangyang can truly feel relieved.
Xu Huai had already written down the details of Yuehai Tower's withdrawal in a memorial and sent it to Xiangyang. He had not yet had time to write another memorial about the many subsequent arrangements. Since Zhao Yi, the king of Wuwei County, asked about it in person, Xu Huai explained them one by one.
The sluice was successfully opened, and the surging lake water rushed down through three sluice holes more than two feet wide, and flowed into the Mingxi River through the new canal. The dry and shallow Mingxi River suddenly became full of water.
The plain land to the east of Shimen Ridge is close to the Huaihe River, and there is abundant rain after spring.
Even if the Mingxi River is completely cut off, there will be no shortage of irrigation water.
In addition to its military significance, the cofferdam of Huangyang Lake also plays a major role in people's livelihood by draining the lake water in advance after spring, so that rainwater and flash floods from the northern foothills of Tongbai Mountain and the southern foothills of Dafu Mountain can be stored on a large scale during the flood season.
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Dozens of small cofferdams have been built between Huangyang Lake and Tongbai Mountain in recent years, which will greatly reduce flood disasters in the entire upper reaches of Rushuikou, including the areas on both sides of the Mingxi River.
However, the puppet Chu army built more than 20 strong forts on both sides of the Mingxi River. Their attack on Huangyangzhai failed, and the morale of the soldiers was low. In the end, they were forced to retreat and had no intention of destroying the forts.
Chu Mountain is equivalent to more than 20 forts on both sides of Bai Deming River.
At present, Chushan plans to add the Mingxi River Inspection Department on the left bank of the Mingxi River, and the inspection department will be located at the Mingxi Collection on the right bank of the Mingxi River where it enters the Huai River.
Before the war, Mingxiji was also a prosperous commercial port with land and water docks and towns. Its population concentration was no less than that of Zhouqiao and Huaiyuan.
The puppet Chu army withdrew and did not have time to destroy the strong protective wall, but burned down thousands of houses in the original Mingxiji.
Mingxiji will form the defense line on the left bank of the middle and lower reaches of the Mingxi River together with Jinjigou and other villages located in the middle reaches of the Mingxi River and on the other side of the Huai River, at the northeastern foot of Jinniuling.
In order to prevent the Mingxi River from drying up and becoming shallow after winter due to the sudden drop in rainwater in the Tongbai Mountain area, Chushan also plans to fill in the soil at the mouth of the Mingxi River to build a weir.
Yandai is also a weir dam. It is built directly at the mouth of the river and uses earth and rocks to build a low dam to separate the Mingxi River from the Huai River.
This will ensure that the Mingxi River can maintain a certain water level in autumn and winter.
After winter comes, all the capital has to do is gather manpower and cut open the river ice from time to time to prevent small groups of enemy troops from crossing the Mingxi River and entering the right bank area to harass farming.
Of course, this is the most straightforward and crudest approach.
Later, when money and food are sufficient, we still need to build a sluice at the mouth of the river to regulate and control the water level of the Mingxi River and ensure smooth navigation between the Mingxi River and the Huai River.
At the same time, Chushan also plans to formally establish the Huangyanghu Inspection Department in Huangyangzhai, Shimenlingzhai, and Iron Curtain Mountain Nanzhai.
With the establishment of the Mingxiji and Huangyanghu Inspection Departments, the land on the right bank of the Mingxi River will be officially included in the inner line of the Chushan camp defense.
The diamond-shaped area surrounded by Mingxi River, Shimen Ridge and Huai River is roughly forty miles square.
Its northwest is adjacent to Shimen Ridge and Iron Curtain Mountain, and is mostly low hills. To the east and south to the Mingxi River and Huai River is the fertile Huai River alluvial plain. More than 400,000 people in the western part of Zhenyang County have cultivated and cultivated here.
acres of grain fields.
Chushan planned to use the camps abandoned by the puppet Chu army and the abandoned villages abandoned by the people in the past to build large-scale villages and recruit young adults and small families from the refugees in Yanliu Luoshan, Xinyang and other places for farming.
, to make up for the shortage of military rations.
"...In addition to these, Chushan will also train two battalions of naval forces in the second half of this year!" Xu Huai explained Chushan's defense arrangements for the second half of the year to Zhao Yi in detail, "These things to be done have just been sorted out, and they are not yet available.
It’s too late to report to Your Majesty!”
"No wonder His Majesty is relieved that you will guard Tongbai Mountain!" Zhao Yi said with emotion, "With you in charge of Tongbai Mountain, you don't have to worry about anything going wrong with Nanyang's right wing! Yue Hailou is also a very powerful person, and it is fitting that he will cooperate with him.
Cao Shixiong, like brothers Cao Shili, will fall into your hands!"
"Yue Hailou is not an easy person. In the final analysis, the vassal troops controlled by Yue Hailou do not have the strength to attack Chushan. Since the Chihu people invaded the south, they have trampled wantonly and the Central Plains has been destroyed. This is also destined to launch their campaign.
The offensive cannot last long,”
Xu Huai said,
"I advocated establishing our base in Xiangyang and not making any other assumptions, and this is the reason. Although the Red Husband cavalry is sharp and can gallop across the plains, it is invincible. However, it is not its strong point to attack difficulties and defeat them. The rivers and Huaihe rivers are densely covered with rivers and lakes, which is not the place for them to gallop.
The Chihu people were very aware of their weaknesses, so they mostly used surrender troops to attack cities and fortify villages. However, the Central Plains was in ruins, and there were still a large number of rebels resisting in Hedong and Hebei. Although the surrender troops were brutal, they were limited.
Due to the difficulties in raising and transporting grain, there is no possibility of becoming a powerful army in the world in a short period of time. Under this situation, as long as we grit our teeth and persevere, once the battlefields can successfully enter the stalemate stage, the situation will be reversed..."
"Hou Xu is very reasonable, Zhao Yi has learned a lesson!" Zhao Yi said, cupping his hands.
"The prince is polite, but Xu Huai just can't hold his words in his stomach. Say what you have to say. This is a twist. I have to trouble the prince to explain it in Xiangyang!" Xu Huai returned the courtesy.
…………
…………
It was already dark when we returned to Chushan from Huangyangzhai, and everyone had been tired from the journey for a day. Especially Zhao Yi, the king of Wuwei County, who had just arrived in Chushan yesterday, was even more tired.
Therefore, after the simple night banquet, Prince Wuwei would go to the hotel to rest first.
After the war, there were no heavy military affairs to worry about, and other matters could be pushed to the heads of Shi Zhen, Xu Wuqi, Xu Wujiang, Su Laochang and others. Xu Huai was much more relaxed, but the threats on other battlefields were not eliminated.
, he also reads military information from various places at night.
In the dead of night, Xu Huai read through the military information collected today. When he and Liu Qiong'er were about to go to the back house to rest, he saw that Shi Zhen had not left yet and was looking over from the living room.
Xu Huai stood in the courtyard, looked at Shi Zhen and asked, "Mr. Shi doesn't advise me to take a stand on the matter of the two capitals?"
Shi Zhen walked to the corridor and sighed:
"Most of the people in this world are ordinary people, and the princes in the court are no exception. How many people have been truly courageous and courageous since ancient times? Zhou He, Gao Chunnian and others must have had this idea a long time ago.
It's just that the war in Huaishang was urgent before, and I knew that Your Majesty would not let Zhou He and others make rash discussions at this juncture and shake the morale of the army, so I forbeared to raise it at this time. I think Your Majesty is also a person of resolute temperament. If Zhou He and others really want to
Even if Your Majesty asks for this proposal, it will still be rejected. Why would Chushan interfere with this? This is what I had in mind when I heard the prince ask about this matter in the afternoon. I thought about this matter carefully in the afternoon, and it seems that there are other strange things.
.First, Zhou He, Gao Chunnian and others don't seem to need to consult Chu Shan. Second, Zhou He, Gao Chunnian and others really can't guess what you will think based on your temperament. They really count on you.
Will you support them in making this proposal?"
"Are you saying that Chushan clearly stated its position, but instead became a pawn in the hands of Zhou He and others?" Xu Huai asked, frowning.
"The Duke of Xiangyang wanted to avoid danger, but His Majesty refused, and there was nothing they could do," Shi Zhen said. "But now that Chushan has made its position known first, and the Duke of Xiangyang complained about Chushan, there is no need to worry so much!
When the time comes, if your Majesty wants to protect Chushan, you might make some compromises with them!"
"I don't know how these people who are greedy for life and afraid of death can complain about Chushan?" Xu Huai said coldly.
"Your Majesty is in Xiangyang, and Chu Mountain's gains and losses will determine the life and death of Xiangyang. The key to defending Xiangyang is still above Heluo, Shaanxi, and Huainan. But when Your Majesty moves south, Chu Mountain is only controlled by an army," Shi Zhen said with a bitter smile,
"Isn't this enough for them to pour dirty water on you, Lord Marquis? We know that you have a resolute temperament, live and die against the enemy, and are determined to sink the boat. But in the eyes of others, you just want to take advantage of the emperor's self-respect and interfere in the national affairs.
…”
"The thoughts of Zhou He and others may not be so gloomy, right?" Liu Qiong'er asked in surprise.
"What does Miss Liu think people like Zhou He are best at?" Shi Zhen asked with a wry smile, "Of course, it may be that I am overthinking it, but the Marquis has made his position clear and has great differences with Zhou He and others, so this is destined to happen.
It will make Zhou He and others hate Mr. Hou even more! Moreover, they will not think the best of Mr. Hou or think that Mr. Hou is sincere. So where will they end up thinking about this matter? Isn't it just speculation about Mr. Hou?
Private | Desire for ulterior motives?"
"No matter what they think of me, there's no way I won't state my position on this matter! Even if His Majesty's mind is wavering, I will come forward and remonstrate!" Xu Huai waved his hand, asking Shi Zhen not to worry too much about this matter.
It is impossible for him to go to Wuwei County Prince Zhao Yi privately to withdraw his previous agreement.
"I want to go to Xiangyang to see how deep the water is. Am I really overthinking it?" Shi Zhen said. He was still worried that there was something fishy about this matter, and Zheng Tu, Jin Longquan and others were unable to accurately detect it.
to the subtleties.
"Well, it's important to be on guard against others. If you take the trouble to go to Xiangyang, then find a way to accompany the county prince there," Xu Huai nodded and said, "Anyway, you can help me arrange the family affairs. I don't have any."
Patiently handling so many things..."
The government affairs under the jurisdiction of Chushan are becoming increasingly complicated, and Xu Huai is really inseparable from Shi Zhen...
