Chapter 122: The Frontier Defense of Large Insect Beetles
When Zhao Shu arrived at Jianjia Pass, he found that the construction of fortifications was being intensified everywhere.
Jianjia Pass is not a single pass, but a military town including beacons, fortresses and fortresses, guarding the main road between the north and the south.
The Panlong Mountain in Xingluo County in the north is unreachable, while the southern border of Huaxu Kingdom is a patchwork of mountains with undulating heights, far from being blocked by natural moats, not to mention there are three relatively wide mountain passes that can be used by large armies.
In order to prevent the invasion of the southern barbarians from Jiuli, Huaxu State recruited a large number of strong men to build the Jianjia Pass, and it never fell for decades.
However, Zhao Shu discovered that the situation at Jianjia Pass was not as prepared as he had imagined. It was vaguely visible that the battlements collapsed, the roads were uneven, and a pile of rusty and discarded weapons were thrown into the street.
Most of the soldiers here are thin and thin, with worn-out clothes and armor. There are also many soldiers who hide in the shade to rest, looking like their weapons are in disuse.
Zhao Shu and several Guanshi monks came to the garrison in the city. General Wei came out to greet them. He introduced an honest elder next to him:
"This is Duke Gao Ping, who used to be responsible for guarding Jianjia Pass and several neighboring counties."
Zhao Shui had heard that this Duke Gao Ping was a member of the Huaxu Kingdom's clan and could be regarded as an uncle of the current leader of the country.
As the southern gateway to the Huaxu Kingdom, Jianjia Pass is such a key location that it must not fall under the control of the Yongjia Liang family. Only by arranging the clan leader's clan can safety be ensured.
"This must be Marquis Zhenming. I can feel at ease when the country has a rising star like you." Gao Pinggong has a generous smile, fair skin and fat body. He is wearing colorful brocade clothes and exquisite jade ornaments hanging from his waist. He is completely unlike
The general guarding one side looks like a rich man.
Zhao Miao bowed and bowed in return. General Wei asked: "How are the people of Bobi Beak treated?"
"The few groups of pig-beak people who looted the villages in the west were mostly wiped out, but the number was only four to five hundred." Zhao Shu came to the edge of the map and pointed at a few places with his finger: "We are on the way to Jianjia Pass.
I found that there are still traces of small groups of hogbills, they must have escaped into the mountains and forests again."
"Gao Pinggong has been fighting with these southern barbarians for a long time. I don't know what he has to say?" General Wei asked.
"The pig-beaked people are the best at trekking. Once they escape into the mountains and forests, they are like a dragon entering the sea and are difficult to trace." Gao Pinggong sighed.
Zhao Shu couldn't help but ask: "Don't the pig-beak people have a fixed settlement? Even if they are barbarians, they do not do farming, weaving and animal husbandry, and they are destined to not last long just by robbing."
"There should be a settlement of the Boar Beak people in the mountains, but it is not easy to find, and it is difficult for most of the troops to penetrate deep." Gao Ping said: "I believe you two know that there are many villages and settlements with unclear ownership at the border between the two countries. In addition to
There are demons and evil spirits mixed in it, and it is also a place where gangsters often hang out."
"Rebellious party?" Zhao Shu asked: "Is it Chiyundu on Cangwu Mountains?"
A few hundred miles to the west of Jianjia Pass is Cangwu Ridge. This distance seems not far, but Wangshan is a dead horse. Moreover, the terrain of Cangwu Ridge is more steep and rugged, and Chiyundu has experienced the tempering of troubled times.
A powerful army. The Huaxu Kingdom has sent troops several times in the past. Not to mention annihilating the rebels, the army was even beaten to pieces by Chi Yun many times.
Gao Pinggong glanced at Zhao Shu, and then said: "Exactly. The Chiyun rebellious party is unwilling to hide in Cangwu Ridge. In the past ten years, the rebellious party and bandit leaders have often appeared near Jianjia Pass. There are also many villages and settlements outside the pass that collude with the rebellious party.
.”
Zhao Shu frowned. General Wei stared at the map and tapped his fingers: "What a pity. If the people in these villages can be included in our Huaxu Kingdom, then there will be less worries on the way to attack Jiuli Kingdom. And if Jiuli Kingdom attacks,
These villages can also build fort walls to serve as a barrier for the Huaxu Kingdom to contain the Nanmanzi's offensive."
The consequences of Zhao Ming's silence and Chi Yun's betrayal have greatly hindered the Huaxu Kingdom. Compared to the chaos caused by Yang Liujun in Xingluo County, the situation outside Jianjia Pass is much worse.
Thinking back to the military maneuvers at the Yingzhou Conference, Liang Xiao commanded the troops of Huaxu State to move south unimpeded, and was able to build forts and advance step by step. Now it seems that this kind of thing is unlikely to be possible.
If we really do this, not to mention dealing with Jiuli Kingdom's attack on both wings, just Chiyundu secretly causing trouble would be enough for the imperial officers and soldiers to drink.
"Don't worry, you two. Those rogue gangs are nothing more than scabies." Gao Pinggong said calmly: "The walls of Jianjia Pass are high and the trenches are deep, enough to make those rogue bandits sigh when they look at the city. In addition, Liang Guoshi was here a few years ago.
Set up a talisman to prevent the evil demons from flying into the sky to assassinate you."
"I also understand this matter." General Wei said: "It is said that Liang Guoshi personally went to Cangwu Ridge at that time and severely wounded the leader of the rebel gang. I guess they could only huddle in Cangwu Ridge and couldn't afford to cause too much trouble."
Zhao Shu has seen Liang Tao's abilities before. It's not surprising that he can beat the masters in Chiyundu to the point where they dare not stand up.
"Marquis Zhenming, what do you think?" General Wei asked when Zhao Shui didn't speak.
"With all due respect, I'm afraid this time it's not just about holding on to the city." Zhao Shui pointed to the Jiaohui Cave on the map: "General Wei should know that the Jiuli Kingdom's invasion this time is just to break the seal and rescue the people inside.
The horned viper demon king."
General Wei's expression was solemn, and Duke Gao Ping asked: "There are monks stationed near Jiaofei Cave all year round, and the imperial court will send people to strengthen the seal every year. Isn't this why Marquis Zhenming is here?"
Zhao Shu explained: "When the Yushi Concubine of Jiuli State launched a large-scale invasion of snakes and insects, the construction of Jianjia Pass had not yet been completed, and the system of the pavilion was also primitive. In addition, the Yushi Concubine set up a large formation of ten thousand snakes, and they appeared and killed people.
There are many living people.
In order to solve this problem without leaving any further trouble, the first king of Huaxu Kingdom invited the hermit masters from Fulong Island in the East China Sea to sacrifice the fairy magic weapon Dinghaidou, and in one fell swoop, thousands of snakes and insects and the great snake-controlling wizard of Yushi's concubine were sealed in the town.
middle.
However, Dinghaidou has been completely integrated with the mountains and rivers around Jiaohui Cave. Over time, the immortal spirit has dissipated, and the seal is like a tree whose roots have been eaten away by insects. It seems to be lush and leafy, but in fact it is difficult to sustain.
"
These situations were informed in detail by Zhang Duanjing before Zhao Shu left Dongshengdu. The thousands of snakes and insects sealed in Dinghai Dou fought with each other, and now there is only one giant snake with horns on its head and fleshy wings on its back. Once it breaks out of the seal, it will immediately
It's the great monster that brings disaster to the world.
Duke Gao Ping remained silent after hearing this, while General Wei said: "With an expert from the Immortal Family like Liang Guoshi, as long as the arrangements are properly arranged, it shouldn't be a problem to kill the Horned Demon King."
Zhao Shu reminded: "But Jiuli Kingdom is not without its masters. It is said that even the ten witches of Fengju are dispatched in large numbers this time."
General Wei smiled and asked: "We commoners don't know what's going on outside the country. Marquis Zhenming might as well tell you where the ten witches from Fengju come from?"
"I don't know much." Zhao Shu said: "The ten witches of Fengju claim that their inheritance can be traced back to the ancient world. They are the waiters of the ancient gods left in the mortal world, waiting for the moment when the sun and moon become blind.
Invite the gods to come to the world.
It is said that although the physical bodies of the Ten Witches have a limited lifespan, their souls are immortal. If one of them dies, the soul will be attached to the fetus and be born. When they grow up, as long as they undergo sacrifices, they can awaken the memories of their previous lives. The knowledge and skills accumulated from generation to generation
, is where the foundation of Fengju Ten Witches lies.”
Gu E
"Immortality? Is this considered a kind of immortality?" General Wei asked curiously.
"It's just a legend. It's hard to tell whether it's true or not. Maybe the Fengju Ten Witches use this to show their extraordinary status." Zhao Shu said: "And don't look at them bragging about themselves so much. In Tianxia, the Fengju Ten Witches have to keep their tail between their legs.
, When it comes to rituals and rituals, summoning gods and welcoming spirits, no one can compare with the praise officers of the Tianxia Dynasty."
In a sense, Zhao Shu and the Fengju Ten Witches can be considered peers. However, as a descendant of the Zanli Official, Zhao Shu has always looked down on the crude and even barbaric rituals of the Fengju Ten Witches. They even performed human and animal sacrifices. In Zhao Shu
It seems that this is something you can grab by your hair and throw away to soak in feces.
"The ten witches of Fengju have a high status in Jiuli Kingdom. They can be roughly compared to Liang Guoshi, but they are ten people." Zhao Shu explained: "The witchcraft style in Jiuli Kingdom is at its peak, there are many ghosts, gods and evil spirits, and their magic methods are also
More related to this, it is strange and unpredictable."
"I wonder what good advice Marquis Zhenming has?" General Wei asked.
Zhao Shu said with a smile: "I can't say that there is a good strategy, but since the opponent's spells mostly rely on the power of ghosts and gods, we might as well come up with a method to draw out the firepower."
General Wei slapped the table: "That's right! Zhenminghou is good at rituals and rituals, and can drive ghosts and gods away. If we control the ghosts and gods first, wouldn't it mean that the opponent has no soldiers to use?"
"I plan to set up altars inside and outside Jianjia Pass to summon ghosts and spirits." Zhao Shu said: "Now at the border between the two countries, there are not only villages and settlements, but also many ghosts, spirits, monsters and evil spirits. They may take advantage of the war to cause chaos. No matter what
Whether it is to prepare for unexpected events or to increase the number of troops and troops, this matter is necessary."
"Okay, okay!" General Wei nodded repeatedly: "I have seen what Marquis Zhenming is capable of. This matter will be handled by Marquis Zhenming. If you need help from soldiers, just ask."
Zhao Ming pondered for a moment: "When dealing with the pig-beaked people before, I heard news about an evil being infested, so I might as well start from here."
On the side, Duke Gao Ping sighed: "With you two, it seems that Jianjia Pass will be safe and sound."
General Wei raised his hands and said: "What the hell! This is also thanks to Gaoping's good management."
Zhao Shu was secretly suspicious. What he saw when he came to Jianjia Pass was that the place was far from well-run. Judging from the military defense, it was even a bit careless and lax.
"Now that General Wei and Marquis Zhenming have arrived, I won't be in the way much with my old bones." Gao Pinggong stood up and handed over his hands: "Now the military affairs of Jianjia Pass will be left to you two!"
Zhao Shu and General Wei saluted together, respectfully sent Gao Pinggong off, and watched him board a luxurious car decorated with red lacquer and silver.
After Gao Pinggong left, General Wei sighed softly. Zhao Shu saw his serious expression and asked in a low voice: "The situation at Jianjia Pass is not optimistic?"
General Wei led Zhao Shu back to the inner hall of the garrison and said: "You must have seen along the way that the defenses here are weak, the military discipline is rough, and the soldiers recruited even lacked food and wages for more than half a year. I asked each battalion to take care of it the day before yesterday.
After counting the number of people in the book, we found that 30% of the soldiers had not arrived. Guess where these people went?"
Zhao Shu shook his head slightly, and General Wei knocked on the table angrily: "Because of the lack of food and wages, those soldiers went to neighboring counties and plowed the fields for local big families. How does this look like a border army?!"
"Are you kidding me?" Zhao Mo's eyes twitched: "It has only been ten years since the Five Kingdoms eradicated their troops. How could the border military affairs be so depleted? How much food did the imperial court spend on the Jianjia Pass? Why is there still a shortage of food and pay for the soldiers?"
General Wei raised his chin and indicated where Gao Pinggong had just sat: "Guess?"
Thinking of Gao Pinggong's rich appearance and luxurious carriage, except that it was not pulled by barge horses, it was not much worse than Jiang Ru's one.
Based on these alone, we can guess how abundant Gao Pinggong's daily expenses are, and we can also roughly know where he will go if he lacks food and salary.
"He is the clan leader of the country!" Zhao Shu felt his scalp numb: "If the Jiuli Nanman invades the pass, he will be the first to die!"
General Wei sneered twice: "This is not necessarily the case. Gaoping Gong has a Wubao Manor in the north. He has raised more than a thousand troops. The weapons and armor are shiny. If the Jiuli Kingdom really comes in, these tribes can still protect them.
Follow him to escape back to Dongshengdu."
Zhao Miao was puzzled: "Why would the ruler of the country appoint such a person to guard Jianjia Pass?"
General Wei coughed slightly and raised his eyes to look at the door and window. Zhao Shu felt relieved, waved his hand and a talisman flew out of the post, blocking out the sound.
"You should just listen to some of these words for fun, don't take them seriously." General Wei said: "You may have heard that before the current ruler came to the throne, there was a period of chaos in the country. The sons of the late emperor fought against each other.
There were so many dead and injured that the national system withered.
Seeing that Huaxu Kingdom was about to follow the footsteps of Tianxia, the court had no choice but to hurriedly select a new monarch from among the clan members. At that time, Gao Pinggong was also among the candidates for the throne because he was older, and he was the one favored by Liang Guoshi.
However, Princess Gaoping gave in and elected the current leader of the country. As for the unknown calculations in this, I am not able to discern."
Zhao Shu nodded slightly: "Gaoping Gong had the merits of pushing the throne and helping to secure the throne, and he is also a clan relative, so the king asked him to guard Jianjia Pass, and probably turned a blind eye to his corruption... Alas!"
"Marquis Zhenming does not need to worry too much." General Wei reminded: "This time the king sent Wu Kuijun to Jianjia Pass to take over the military affairs here. Duke Gaoping is old, so don't worry too much. Let him spend his old age peacefully.
"
"With more than a thousand songs, a manor, a castle, and a fragrant car, I can spend my old age peacefully." Zhao Shu felt helpless.
"The top priority now is to rectify the military affairs of Jianjia Pass and train the soldiers." General Wei scratched his head and said: "Although the Wukui Army was newly established by the king's order, its number is less than 10,000, which is far from enough to cope with future wars. But now there are no lazy soldiers in Jianjia Pass.
He’s just a prisoner who is no longer useful. It’s so annoying…”
"Does the general plan to lay off some of his soldiers?" Zhao Shu asked.
"Anyway, some of the soldiers are no different than tenants, so there is no need for them to come here to hang out," General Wei said.
"I do have an idea." Zhao Shu rubbed his chin and said, "When I was tracking the Pig Beak people, I found that many villages have formed their own Xiangyong. When faced with foreign enemies, they often share the same hatred and may be useful."
"I have also thought about this method." General Wei stood up and sighed: "It is just to recruit brave soldiers from the countryside, and a large amount of money and food. The imperial court has asked neighboring counties to collect money and food, but it has not been sent yet."
"What does General Wei plan to do?" Zhao Shu asked.
"When you go to deal with the evil spirits and open the altar to practice Dharma, you can go to various places to urge the mobilization of money and food." General Wei said with a serious expression: "I appointed you as the commander of Wu Kui Army, and you also have the power to mobilize troops. If necessary, you can do it easily!