Chapter 953: All things suddenly become calm and the mind is hard to understand, and unrest in people leads to confusion (Part 2)
The process of resisting the Jurchens' Fourth Southern Expedition lasted for two years. In the first half of the period, various forces in Jin and Shandong fought epic battles with the Jin army; in the later half, the forces in Jiangnan and Southwest
The war attracted the attention of most people in the world. But apart from this, there were naturally also large and small disturbances in the Central Plains region north of the Yangtze River and south of the Yellow River.
In the first half of the 10th year of Jian Shuo, Xuzhou once became the last blocking point before the Jurchens launched the Jiangnan War. The causal connection on this battlefield must also be extended to the actions of all parties before the war began. At that time, the Chinese army launched measures, Yu Bian
Liang kidnapped Liu Yu, the puppet emperor of Qi, and then blamed Liu Yu on the Wu Dynasty. Jun Wuze, who was still the prince, secretly contacted Li Anmao, the prefect of Xuzhou, and asked the Chinese army to send troops for help with a large amount of money and materials. At the same time, he also dragged the Chinese army to
Enter the war front.
The two sides seemed to be blaming each other, but in fact their purpose was to fight against the Jurchens. In response to Jun Wu's move, Ning Yi ordered Liu Chengzong to lead more than 8,000 men under his command to march into Xuzhou to help him defend the city anyway.
In the 10th year of Jianshuo, when the Jurchen East Route Army arrived in Xuzhou, Liu Chengzong led his own army and more than 50,000 troops under Li Anmao to defend the city for three months, and then broke through and headed north. As Zongfu Zongbi launched his campaign here,
The will to fight was not firm, and the war did not develop to such a tragic level.
Although we can fight side by side when we jointly defend the city, when we have to break out and fight, some things have to separate you and me. Li Anmao, the prefect of Xuzhou, originally belonged to Liu Yu and was loyal to the Wu Dynasty. At the beginning of the war, he invited the Chinese army for the overall plan.
After sending out troops, when Xuzhou fell, he naturally wanted to lead his army back to the south of the Yangtze River.
——This was not a big deal at first. The Chinese army did not value many elites in combat, and they did not covet the 50,000 miscellaneous soldiers under his command. However, before the battle with the Jurchens, the two sides had been getting along in Xuzhou City for half a year. In order to
To prevent these armies from being held back, propaganda, infiltration, and recruitment work must be started. After they evacuated from Xuzhou and saw the combat power of the Chinese army, some middle- and lower-level officers of the Li army had already done a good job through more than half a year of infiltration work.
The intention to join the Chinese army was also due to this reason. As the retreat progressed, Li Anmao was directly seized power. As soon as more than 50,000 people changed hands, the black flag was changed.
After the Xuzhou reorganization was initially completed, due to the critical situation in Shandong, Liu Chengzong and others moved north to support Zhu Biao, Wang Shanyue and others in Liangshan. However, due to the raids and raids by the Jurchen East Route Army when they went south, people in Shandong starved to death for thousands of miles. Liu Chengzong
Although they had troops on hand, they were short of supplies, and the supplies on Liangshan Mountain were extremely poor. In the end, they borrowed a batch of grain, grass and baggage from Jin through Zhuji's mediation to support Liu Chengzong's thousands of people to cross the Yellow River and face Wan Yanchang.
The tens of thousands of Li troops who had just been recruited had to stay on the south bank of the Yellow River to fend for themselves.
In order to lead this army for subsequent reorganization and survival, Liu Chengzong left here a leadership team of more than 20 people who are good at political work and organization. The leader is Zou Xu, deputy chief of staff of the division. This is
A leader among the young officers of the Huaxia Army, he rose to prominence during the battle against Xixia. He was later taught and trained by Ning Yi. Although he still served as the deputy chief of staff at the division level, he handled matters neatly and already had the ability to stand alone...
…
"Zou Xu, I have a deep impression on this person." Qin Shaoqian said as the night wind blew through the military camp outside Hanzhong City. "He is one of the most talented among your early disciples. He has a decent name and behaves like you."
It's very similar. After the Xixia War, the Jurchens came to demonstrate and brought the head of Shopkeeper Lu. He was one of the main receptionists and could be described as neither humble nor arrogant. You said at the time that this person was worthy of use."
Ning Yi nodded: "In the beginning, there were many outstanding people in Xiaocanghe, but today, there are not many left. Many of them unfortunately died on the battlefield. Now Chen Tian's position
At the highest level, he partners with Qu Zhengyan as chief of staff. From Chen Tian on down, there is Zou Xu. He is very capable and has long been a candidate for chief of staff or even division commander. Because I taught him, the improvement in this aspect is actually
I delayed it intentionally. I should be aware of these things, so this time in Xuzhou, Liu Chengzong gave him this opportunity to take charge of his own affairs...I also neglected it..."
Qin Shaoqian nodded and read the information Ning Yi gave him again.
Zou Xu took over this army, which totaled nearly 50,000 people, in the autumn of the 10th year of Jianshuo. This was nearly two years ago.
…
No matter how you look at it, the initial recruitment and placement of the tens of thousands of troops originally under Li Anmao was not an easy task.
First of all, after the establishment of the Puppet Qi, Xuzhou was already the territory of the Puppet Qi Liu Yu. The establishment of the puppet regime was originally to exploit the Central Plains. Li Anmao was concerned about the Wu Dynasty, and when the time came, he sought to reverse the situation, but the so-called army under his command was originally
In order to expand the combat effectiveness of the puppet army, which had no combat effectiveness, the methods adopted were to recruit young men and women indiscriminately to fill the numbers. Its combat effectiveness may only be slightly better than that of the Han army in the late Southwest War.
Liu Chengzong led 8,000 people to defend Xuzhou with him. In order to be safe, he had to grasp the power of command and control. Although Li Anmao was passionate, he always supported the Wu Dynasty. After defending Xuzhou for three months, he meant to
Everyone was crucified in Xuzhou and defended until the last soldier, so as to minimize the pressure on the Jiangnan defense line. Liu Chengzong could not accompany him, so he directly knocked out Li Anmao during the meeting, and then seized power and transferred.
As a result, although the transfer of upper-level command authority was completed, people within this motley army were not mentally prepared for the disruption of the entire army's ecology and the complete reorganization. After Liu Chengzong and others decided to go north,
What was left to Zou Xu's working group was an army without enough food and grass, without combat effectiveness, and even without enough centripetal force. The literal number was close to 50,000, but in fact it was just a time bomb that could explode at any time.
Of course, under the circumstances at that time, no force in the world had an "easy" living space.
The Jin region experienced turmoil following Tian Hu's death and Liao Yiren's betrayal. Lou Shuwan and others also hid in the mountains and struggled to survive.
Zhu Biao and Wang Shanyue experienced a tragic rescue operation in Daming Mansion, suffering heavy casualties. Countless of their companions were captured and massacred. After Liangshan was besieged, there was no food in all directions and they suffered from hunger.
In the south of the Yangtze River, the Jurchen army on the East Road is knocking at the pass, and the overthrow is imminent.
In the southwest, the main force of the Chinese army needs to face the threat of the strongest army in the world led by Zong Han and Xi Yin.
This army could only be thrown away like an abandoned child. Even at that time, Ning Yi did not have too optimistic expectations for the future of these 50,000 people. He did some things to the Zou Xu working group thousands of miles away.
suggestions, and also gave them the greatest freedom. Under such circumstances, Zou Xu carried out the reorganization of the army with difficulty.
On the one hand, for more than a year, Zou Xu contacted local landlords and powerful families, adopted a one-on-one approach, used war to support war, and obtained as many external resources as possible to maintain his own survival;
On the other hand, without the main support of the Chinese army led by Liu Chengzong, he made huge adjustments and downsizing of the army. First, he eliminated some people through battles, and also lost some people during long-distance transfers, and then took the initiative to disarmament
, maintaining the core combat strength at a scale of more than 20,000 people, coupled with the two splits along the way, by the winter of the 11th year of Jianshuo, this army had traveled thousands of miles and was covered with wounds. It was entrenched near Funiu Mountain in the southwest of Luoyang.
Take root.
To be able to achieve such an effect, Zou Xu's leadership ability was undoubtedly demonstrated. At that time, the Jiangnan War had ended, and the Southwest War was about to begin. Although this army relied on fighting and fought some elites, its overall strength was ultimately inferior to that of the Jurchen West Route Army.
It's much worse. In the past year, the war has been endless, supplies are scarce, and his own vitality has been damaged. Ning Yi ultimately does not intend to put it into combat, but to let it rest and recuperate, preparing to use it as a weapon to attack Luoyang, Bianliang, etc. in the future.
The key power of the earth.
A fierce internal schism broke out in January this year, when the original working group, which had only eight members left, started a confrontation. It was said that a small-scale "rebellion" broke out, and was subsequently suppressed by Zou Xu. Two members of the working group, together with
Dozens of soldiers escaped with injuries. At that time, Fang Chengye, who had returned from the North, was ordered to go near Luoyang. After learning about the situation, he contacted Zhuji forces to initiate investigation procedures.
At that time, when the Southwest War was intensifying, Ning Yi was constantly gathering strength to make preliminary preparations for the subsequent Battle of Wangyuan Bridge. As for the changes that occurred near Funiu Mountain, he was naturally unable to judge for a while, so he could only keep it secret as much as possible.
Under the premise, the remaining external personnel were ordered to conduct verification according to the procedures. The entire investigation process was confirmed by many parties, and it was only at the end of April that the dust settled.
The investigation results show that the Chinese army entrenched in Funiu Mountain at this time has completely transformed into a one-spoken organization controlled by Zou Xu. This is not the biggest problem. The real problem is that Zou Xu has spent nearly a year in
, has been controlled by material desires and hedonistic emotions. He once killed a landlord and took away his wives and concubines near Ruzhou. After arriving at Funiu Mountain, he relied on each other in tandem with Luoyang Prefect Yin Zong and others, and accepted a large amount of materials sent by him.
This happens even to women.
According to detailed investigation results from all aspects, after arriving at Funiu Mountain, the local squires prepared several villas for Zou Xu in nearby counties. Zou Xu seemed normal in the army, but he often went to the city to enjoy himself. These things were only vague at first.
Being noticed, because Zou Xu was quite rigorous in managing the army, no one said anything rashly. In January of this year, the war situation in the southwest was tense. After the news of Huangming County being breached came, other members of the working group believed that they could not
After sitting back and watching the development of the war, now that they have taken a breath, it is time to make further plans. The two sides finally launched an attack at the meeting and started tit-for-tat.
Zou Xu himself is very capable and powerful, and the other people in the working group are not a fuel-efficient lamp. The two sides brought the matter to light, and the working group began to impeach Zou Xu. Among the eight people at that time, only one stood on Zou Xu’s side.
There were two remaining people. So Zou Xu launched an attack, and three of the five people who confronted him were later killed. Hundreds of Chinese soldiers died in this internal strife.
After Fang Chengye and others intervened, Zou Xu once tried to catch all the insiders, but finally gave up after the possibility was shattered. He had a meeting with Fang Chengye and others, and then expelled them, no more.
In defense, Fang Chengye immediately sent back the message. Only then did Ning Yi know that while such a fierce battle was going on in the southwest, such a bad act of betrayal had broken out in the north.
…
"What I brought with me is just a summary." The soldiers patrolling in front came over and saluted Ning Yi and Qin Shaoqian, and Ning Yi returned the salute, and then said, "Fang Chengye's investigation in that area is relatively detailed, and Zou Xu is in control
After gathering 50,000 troops, Liu Chengzong's troops had already left, so he did not have the bargaining chip to suppress it forcefully. Within the army, he could only rely on power checks and balances and intrigues to divide the original middle-level generals in order to maintain the command authority of the working group. From the means
From a practical point of view, what he did was actually quite beautiful.”
"Externally, he understands that he does not have the advantage of harmony, so he always unites with the forces of one group of squires to fight against another group; fighting is constant, so he can maintain external pressure and maintain relative internal stability; and in such battles
, dividing and streamlining the troops are actually similar to the methods adopted by the Jin State. If the 50,000 miscellaneous soldiers are treated equally, it will be difficult for a working group of more than 20 people to maintain the stability of power, so they draw circles and make appointments.
, adjusted layer by layer, and divided the army into three, six, and nine ranks. In the end, although there were only more than 10,000 core troops left, the combat strength of the entire army had far exceeded the previous 50,000. Such a plan
Ability, if used in the right way, can accomplish great things."
When Ning Yi said this, Qin Shaoqian smiled and said: "In some aspects, I really have your mantle."
"Privately speaking, I did look a bit similar to me earlier. First of all, it was the appearance. He looked very handsome, right?" Ning Yi said, and both of them laughed. "Then the way he acted, the way he did it earlier.
This group of people first considers what they want to do, and their teaching methods are very radical, and some even use all possible means. But Zou Xu's actions are not only effective, but also very generous in many aspects, and relatively fastidious. This is something I admire very much.
The place."
Ning Yi paused: "Moreover, on the personal side, Zou Xu was able to endure hardships due to lack of resources in the early days, but at the same time, he knew how to enjoy hardships. How could he get something delicious with limited resources? In an innocuous way,
Under such circumstances, he attaches great importance to food and drink... This is actually very similar to me. Now that I think about it, this is a weakness of mine."
Qin Shaoqian said: "It's normal to be hungry when you have nothing to eat. In the future, when the world is better, I don't think it's a big deal..." He was also a playboy who came from the prosperous age. He had already enjoyed what he should have enjoyed in his early years. At this time, it didn't matter.
I don't think there's anything wrong.
Ning Yi sighed slightly, then patted him on the shoulder and said nothing more.
"The Central Plains is indeed very barren, but there are still people who can survive. Zou Xu joined forces all the way, fighting against each other, and had frequent contact with some wealthy families and landlords. Last autumn in Ruzhou
It should be regarded as a turning point. The concubine of a family, who was originally the daughter of an official family, fell in love with each other, and was later exposed on the spot. Zou Xu may have dealt with such a personal matter for the first time. At that time, he killed someone.
The whole family, and then got a name, alas..."
"Then go to Luoyang... In fact, the fighting strength of the few families still alive in the Central Plains has been reduced to the extreme. They are just some rich locals and some gangs of bandits. Zou Xu leads this Chinese army
In order to survive in that area, although there were many fights, the reputation was always good. He would fight one side and fight the other, and he would never take action against his boss. So for these people, paying protection fees to Zou Xu,
In such a war situation, it is not too uncomfortable..."
Qin Shaoqian smiled: "Instead of paying protection money to others, how about dragging them over and becoming one of our own?"
Ning Yi nodded: "Yes, things in Ruzhou are now difficult to trace. It is difficult to tell whether it was the people led by Luoyang Yin Zong who actively designed to corrupt Zou Xu, or whether Zou Xu came to this step naturally. But in general
He said that Zou Xu had already had a showdown with Fang Chengye. He would not accept the outcome of returning to the Huaxia Army and then being tried. So he could only make up his mind and unite with some poor people in the Central Plains to become the king of the mountain. Zou Xu himself was good at running the army.
He is very capable, and he is very clear about the internal rules, rewards and punishments of the Chinese Army. If there are continuous blood transfusions from people like Yin Zong, and he is not ignored, he may indeed become... in the next few years...
A weakened version of the Chinese Army..."
"...What are you going to do?"
"It's impossible to forgive him now." Ning Yi shook his head, "If Tang Minjie hadn't been thrown to the Kingdom of Jin, I really wanted to throw him to Funiu Mountain and have a ring with Zou Xu.
Now... leave it to Fang Chengye to explore the surrounding situation. It would be best if it can be solved properly. If not, in a few years, we will wipe him out together. The world is too big, and there are already a lot of people who come to join in the fun anyway.
Already."
The two of them walked along the military camp. Qin Shaoqian nodded and thought for a long time: "Now I understand why you were so worried before."
"In one year, if you don't watch it, what should be corrupted will be corrupted... In the next few years, this will be the most serious problem we face."
"I understand...classes and meetings."
"Comrade Shao Qian...you are a bit too enlightened..."
The stars spread in the night sky, and the two people in the military camp were chatting and laughing. Although what they said was serious and even determined the future of the entire world, they occasionally hooked up.
The Han River flows south of the military camp. A war that shocked the world has ended. Countless people are still listening to the news across the land of China, and the subsequent impact is about to cause waves among the crowd. These waves will converge into
Huge waves wash away everything they touch.
Fourteen years have passed since the Jurchens first went south. The whole world is in pieces, and countless city walls are changing with various flags. At this moment, new changes are about to begin.