The banquet room was as warm as spring, and several braziers were beating with red flames. According to legend, the servants brought the food and put it on the table in front of everyone. They used the meal-sharing system. The food was simple, one pot for each person.
There was some mutton, a plate of pickled vegetables, and a large bowl of wine. Someone came to refill it immediately after finishing it.
Everyone casually chatted about the customs and customs of distant Chang'an, no one talked about the war, until they were full of wine and food, the servants took off their food and served tea. Qin Huaidao winked, and Commander Xue Wanshu understood it and signaled the servants to leave.
The outside is under martial law and no one is allowed to come near.
Everyone knew it was time to talk about business, so they all sat upright and looked at Qin Huaidao.
Xue Wanshu, the leader of the Qin Huai Dao Dynasty, cupped his hands and said: "Captain, I have found out a piece of news that the Wang family of Taiyuan was obstructing it and persuaded Khitan and Goguryeo to form an alliance on the banks of the Nen River with the intention of dividing the Tang Dynasty. The specific content is unclear."
"What, are you sure?" Xue Wanshu's expression changed. If this were to happen, Yingzhou would be the first to bear the brunt.
"We lack direct and powerful information, and we are 60 to 70 percent sure." Qin Huaidao said nothing.
Xue Wanshu was silent, her eyes flickering, as if she was thinking about something.
Qin Huaidao was a little surprised and stopped to wait.
After a while, Xue Wanshu said: "It seems that this news is probably true. The governor received the news yesterday that a caravan entered the territory of Goguryeo, with thousands of people. It is said that the caravan will not go out at this time. According to the following
People reported that they were selling cloth, but they didn’t pay attention, but now it seems that they may be a fraud.”
"Built of cloth?" Qin Huaidao's heart moved and he said: "This cloth may be a cover up to facilitate them to pass through the Yingzhou border and enter the territory of Goguryeo. There are no more than a thousand people. They may be escorting someone. Can you please inspect this cloth?"
How many donkeys, mules, etc. are in the caravan to determine whether it is a real caravan."
"It's simple, Feng'er, you go make arrangements and have someone ask about the situation." Xue Wanshu explained on the spot, but she was a resolute character.
Qin Huaidao likes to deal with people with this kind of personality, who are no-nonsense, decisive and efficient.
"Let's put this aside first, is there anything else?" Xue Wanshu asked after watching Xue Feng leave.
There is no need to beat around the bush with people who have a straightforward personality. Qin Huaidao said: "I'll be honest here. Most of the Xiwandan tribe's edible ones were taken away by us, but the Xiwandan tribe has more than 30,000 people. When the army returns, the Xiwandan tribe will
There are 50,000 to 60,000 people in the tribe. They have no food, and most of their yurts have been burned. It is freezing cold, and they have nowhere to stay. In order to survive, they must rob other people's property. In this way, the Khitan tribes will be in chaos. Recently, on the grassland
In case of unrest, our army would like to stay in Yingzhou temporarily for a while, and we ask the governor for permission. Of course, we will bear all the expenses ourselves."
Seeing the spoils of war, Xue Wanshu said she didn't have to worry about life, and promised: "No problem, the conditions in Yingzhou are simple, please be patient, and if you need any help, just ask."
"Thank you, Commander-in-Chief. There is a lot of loot this time. Let's take out 30,000 sheep first, 20,000 of which are for help, and the other 10,000, please ask the Governor's Office to help sell them at half the market price, okay?" Qin Huaidao said bluntly, we can't live in vain, otherwise
It will be disliked by others. In addition, if you find someone to help sell it, you can't do it in vain. It is best to give up half of the profit.
Twenty thousand sheep equals tens of thousands of silver, which is not a small deal.
Xue Wanshu didn't expect Qin Huaidao to be so understanding of the world at such a young age, and he was so attentive and thought ahead in everything. It was very comfortable and relaxing to deal with such a person. He smiled and said: "General Qin is so polite."
"That's right. Please don't be too little, Commander-in-Chief. In addition, we need a good blacksmith to repair the crossbow arrows. The labor cost can be doubled, and it will be deducted from the money from selling the sheep, okay?" Qin Huaidao continued to ask.
Yingzhou Prefecture is the territory of the Governor. It would be unkind to bypass the Governor's Mansion and directly look for the common people to build it. Moreover, the best craftsmen are all in the Governor's Mansion.
There is nothing to do in the winter, not to mention doubling it, even if it is reduced, there are people rushing to do it. Xue Wanshu knows very well that Qin Huaidao is deliberately giving the Dudu Mansion an opportunity to make money. This is respect for the Dudu Mansion and a show of goodwill. What kind of scheming is there?
It is what a young man should have. No wonder he can win the battle. He said with satisfaction: "I wonder how much it will cost? If it is only a small amount, there is a blacksmith in the Governor's Mansion who can do it for me. There is no need to negotiate wages."
"We still have to pay wages. It's not easy in the cold weather. Our army has a lot of damage that needs to be repaired. In addition, we will make an additional 100,000 spares and 50,000 arrows. Please tell us how much money we need. If I don't have enough money,
Just use sheep to deduct it." Qin Huaidao said quickly, he had seized 300,000 cattle and sheep, which was enough for a while.
"There are a total of 150,000, which is quite a lot. We need to rely on the help of the people. The Governor's Office will do this for us to ensure that everything is foolproof." Xue Wanshu agreed.
"There is one more thing that requires help from the Governor's Office." Qin Huaidao continued.
Xue Wanshu tasted the sweetness and asked with some expectation: "What's the matter?"
"Xiaoguan needs some people who are good at needlework to help make winter clothes. The more people, the better, and the wages will be doubled. We need it urgently and the time is very urgent. We need a place to gather the production for easy management. We can take care of one meal at noon. I don't know.
Can the Governor's Office help recruit some?" Qin Huaidao asked.
"This matter is simple. The Dudu's Mansion will issue a notice. The production site will be made. The Dudu's Mansion will free up a few warehouses, which should be enough." Xue Wanshu was not a stingy person and agreed.
"Thank you very much, Commander-in-Chief, for your help." Qin Huaidao said sincerely. Once the arrows and woolen winter clothes are ready, the combat effectiveness of the troops will be greatly improved.
"General Qin, there is no need to be polite." Xue Wanshu could also see that Qin Huaidao was bound to become a new member of the imperial court. It was too late to make friends with such a person, so how could he refuse, and added: "The few of you are staying in the Governor's Mansion, and the wing has been cleaned. It should be
about there."
"Then it's hard work. Everyone has eaten, why don't we leave first?" Qin Huaidao agreed.
"Okay, let's get everyone settled first." Xue Wanshu stood up.
Everyone got up one after another and followed them to a courtyard. The side rooms were all opened, and some people came out after cleaning. There was a room for each person, and everything was fully furnished. The arrangements were very thoughtful. Xue Wanshu could see that everyone had something to discuss, so she left after settling in.
.
Qin Huaidao motioned for everyone to gather in his room. There were not enough stools to sit on, so they were all standing. Qin Huaidao asked Duke An Guo to sit down with him to show respect, and warned: "Gong An Guo, brothers, two things must be done well. First,
No one is allowed to leave the Governor's Mansion privately to avoid chaos. We are guests from afar, so we cannot cause chaos to the Governor's Mansion. We will organize everyone to practice repeating crossbows and archery when they have time."
"Follow the order!" Everyone agreed quickly. They were all very tired these days and were not in the mood to wander around. Besides, Yingzhou is a border town. There is nothing to see like Chang'an.
"The second thing is that it is practical to boil raw water with ginger. You are not allowed to drink the raw water to prevent illness. In addition, everyone must soak their feet in hot water every night. The hot water also needs to be boiled with ginger to avoid sores. There are also
To help everyone recover, especially the wounded, if there is any violation of the law, they will be beaten with thirty military sticks." Qin Huaidao continued to warn that this matter is too important and must be dealt with seriously.
If you really fall ill after drinking raw water, or if you get sores on your feet and can't walk, you won't be able to fight this battle.
Everyone didn't know why and was a little surprised.
Qin Huaidao was too lazy to explain, and told Fang Yiai and Li Yixie: "From now on, the Guards are responsible for observing military discipline. They are not allowed to leave the camp, are not allowed to drink raw water, must soak their feet every night, are not allowed to gamble, and are not allowed to fight.
, we must bully the weak, and those who disobey orders will be armed with thirty military sticks. No matter who it is, don’t say it was unpredicted.”
"Follow the order." Seeing how seriously Qin Huaidao paid everyone, they didn't dare to be careless again.
"Li Canjun." Qin Huaidao looked at Li Derjian.
"Here!" Li Derjian quickly clasped his fists and saluted.
"Everyone must keep a record of their military exploits and write a military report and send it to them."
"Follow the order." Li Derjian gratefully agreed.
At this time, Xue Feng came over in a hurry, and Qin Huaidao said after entering the door: "Xue Canjun, there are exactly two things that I need your help with. One, I need to braise a batch of dried meat, and I need to use the army's cattle and sheep. I have to find someone to come.
Do."
"This matter is simple. Just ask someone who is proficient in this in the city to help and give you some silver." Xue Feng agreed.
"I'll leave this matter to you. Also, are there any singing girls or dancing girls in Yingzhou?"
"Some, the general wants to..." Xue Feng was a little surprised.
Cheng Chumo and others smiled ambiguously.
"What a joke!" Qin Huaidao scolded with a smile: "Every day I think about all kinds of nonsense, find some people to sing and dance, for an hour a day, if I don't let the brothers leave the camp, I have to find some fun, otherwise something will happen sooner or later, how much money will it cost to find it?
Li joins the army."
"Follow the order." Xue Feng promised, and seeing that nothing happened to him, he hurried away.
Qin Huaidao looked at Li Derjian: "Let us count the spoils of war. From now on, all the property will be yours for safekeeping."
"Follow the order!" Li Derjian quickly agreed, which was a heavy trust.
"Dong An Guo!" Qin Huaidao continued: "After the war merits are counted, rewards will be given based on merit, and the reward will be doubled. In addition, the dead will be two hundred guan, those who were seriously injured will be 50 guan, and those who were lightly injured will be 20 guan.
The fees will be paid from the loot. These days, the loot will be liquidated and paid. What do you think?"
"Is it too much?" An Guogong was overjoyed, but he was worried about this incident. They were all members of his own clan, and it was hard to explain to everyone who was killed or injured.
"As long as it's not too little, I won't be able to control what happens after you return to Chang'an. But as long as you are out fighting, you will be compensated and rewarded according to this example. You will pass this order to the army and let it go if nothing happens." Qin Huaidao made the final decision.
"Follow the order!"
Everyone was overjoyed and left one after another. With such a high reward, this soldier would be easy to lead.
Soon, Qin Huaidao was the only one left in the room.
Qin Huaidao sat quietly for a while, reviewing the recent events and arrangements. After making sure that there were no omissions or mistakes, he went out and asked a passing maid to help. He had someone bring hot water, took a good bath, and then got into bed and fell asleep.
Get up, I'm really tired these days.
…
Governor's Mansion, in the study.
Xue Wanshu was reading a piece of information with a heavy expression on her face. There was a knock on the door. Xue Feng opened the door and asked curiously: "Uncle, what do you want from me?"
"Sit down and talk." Xue Wanshu put down the information and pointed to a low stool opposite. After Xue Feng sat down, she asked: "You have been following General Qin for a few days. What do you think of this person?"
"He is full of strategies, good at calculations, has insight into people's hearts, and is bold and dares to fight. The future will definitely not be easy." Xue Feng said solemnly.
"It is unprecedented, rare, and rare for our Xue family Qilin'er to speak so highly of her. Tell me about what happened these days, the more detailed the better." Xue Wanshu became serious.
Xue Feng promised to report everything that happened recently in detail.
Xue Wanshu is also a veteran on the battlefield. He can explain everything in one point and does not need to explain at all. After listening carefully, he began to think deeply, with a solemn face. After a while, he said: "This man is a great talent. He integrates painting into command. It is unheard of. What's even more terrifying is that
, this person brainstormed before the war, and then made detailed arrangements, going deep into the captain level, so that every soldier could understand the meaning of the plan and avoid failure to implement it. This method has never been done before."
"That's right, my nephew was a little shocked at the time." Xue Feng praised: "Since ancient times, commands have been passed down from level to level, but General Qin called all the officers above the captain to study and deploy together. At first, my nephew was still
He thought that General Qin was too casual and incompetent, so he listened to everyone's opinions first. Soon his nephew found out that he was completely wrong. Everyone's opinions were finally rejected. He came up with a new plan, but it was better than everyone's and was impeccable.
, everyone is convinced and will abide by it. What’s even more frightening is that once the plan is finalized, no one is allowed to object or question it, and it must be resolutely implemented.”
Xue Wanshu was moved: "First brainstorm, and then come up with a better plan. Let everyone realize the gaps and problems, which is conducive to the understanding and implementation of the new plan. Once determined, stick to it. It can be seen that General Qin is resourceful, understands people's hearts, and has his own ideas."
Principle, bottom line, this kind of person is a natural commander. The Tang Dynasty will definitely have a place for this person in the future, and even become a pillar of the army. You two are similar in age. It will be beneficial to the family to make more friends in the future."
"Remember." Xue Feng solemnly promised.
"Look at this." Xue Wanshu threw the information over.
Xue Feng took a closer look, his face changed greatly, and he immediately said: "Uncle, I am afraid that the light-changing guard has been bribed. In this case, Goguryeo may come to Yingzhou capital at any time. Once the Khitan also intervenes, they will attack from two directions.
Yingzhou City may not be able to stop it."
"This is also a matter of concern for my uncle. Yingzhou City is still not strong enough, but the weather is freezing and there is no way to heighten or reinforce it." Xue Wanshu looked worried.
"It is better to fortify the wall and clear the country. Once the enemy invades, there will be no houses to shelter from the wind and cold, no food to eat, no people as hostages, and no one to help build equipment, and the troops will retreat after a few days." Xue Feng suggested.
"You can't do this unless you have to. People will become refugees if they leave their homes. Yingzhou City can't accommodate so many people. It's getting late. Let's discuss it with Mr. Qin tomorrow." Xue Wanshu sighed.
Xue Feng thought for a while and said: "Uncle, General Qin asked me to find someone to help braise the dried meat for later use, and also find some singing girls. The dancing girls would go to the camp to sing and dance for an hour every day to relieve the boredom of the soldiers. In addition, he also issued strict orders.
Do you think a person is allowed to leave the Governor's Mansion privately?"
"oh?"
Xue Wanshu thought for a while and said with a smile: "General Qin restrained his subordinates from going out. This is a great good move and can save a lot of trouble for the governor's office. This person can think about others and is worth making friends with. As for the braised dried meat, they have a lot of trophies.
, there is no shortage of ingredients, I am afraid it is to prepare for the next battle, help it be completed as soon as possible. As for singing and dancing, the Governor's Mansion has some, so don't look for outside ones, so as not to spread criticism, go and rest."
"Here!" Xue Feng agreed and left.
Xue Wanshu lightly pressed the table with her index finger and frowned in thought.
After a while, Xue Wanshu breathed a long sigh of relief: "This person is really extraordinary... I am afraid that the structure of the imperial court will change, and the Xue family should make some plans in advance."
…
Early the next morning.
Qin Huaidao slept until dawn, feeling refreshed and resurrected with full blood. When he came out, he saw Luo Zhang practicing crossbow and shouted: "Luo Zhang, have you eaten?"
"Uncle, I'm waiting for you. The governor sent someone to invite you. I saw you were sleeping and had worked hard during this period, so I asked them to go back first." Luo Zhang explained and walked up.
"Let's go and have a look."
The two walked forward for a while, and Xue Feng hurried over: "General, please come with me. Let's have something to eat first. The governor is waiting in the study to discuss anything."
"Walk."
The group went to the banquet room to eat something, and then hurried to the study room.
In the room, Xue Wanshu was studying the intelligence, her brows furrowed, when she saw Qin Huaidao coming over, she stood up to greet him, and said enthusiastically: "General Qin, please come here, we really have something to discuss."
"You're welcome, I'm free anyway, you say." Qin Huaidao said politely.
Everyone sat down, and Xue Wanshu said bluntly: "Remember the caravan we talked about yesterday? The report said it was selling cloth. I asked someone to check, and there was not a single donkey or mule. They were all horses, one person riding two people, and one group of them
It is used to transport supplies and is packed in cloth bags. No one knows what it is. Such a configuration cannot be a caravan. I suspect that the border guard has been bribed."
Qin Huaidao felt nervous. Normally, caravans would use donkeys or mules, animals with sufficient endurance to carry supplies. It was snowy and the roads were difficult to walk. It was normal for one person and two horses to rotate. If there was a problem with the caravan, nearly a thousand people suddenly
There must be something strange about entering the territory of Goguryeo.
"Captain, what do you mean?" Qin Huaidao asked bluntly.
"The Khitan secretly gathered in the west. I am worried that Goguryeo and Khitan will join forces and launch a sudden attack. Under attack from the east and west, Yingzhou City is low and may not be defended. It is unrealistic to recruit people to build the city. Does General Qin have a solution? Please give me some advice.
Me." Xue Wanshu said solemnly.
The city of Yingzhou is indeed not high enough. It is easy to get in with a ladder. There is no way to increase the height or strengthen it in cold weather. Qin Huaidao pondered for a moment, and suddenly a car came in front of him and asked: "If the city wall is doubled, can it be defended?"
?”
"If the height is doubled, it will be no problem to hold on for more than ten days." Xue Wanshu looked at Qin Huaidao in surprise, with a bit of curiosity and expectation in her eyes, wishing to know what Qin Huaidao would do right away.
Xue Feng also looked at Qin Huaidao curiously. It was impossible to carry out construction in the cold weather. How to increase the height?
"Uncle?" Luo Zhang shouted worriedly.
Qin Huaidao waved his hand to signal Luo Zhang not to worry, and explained: "Ten days may not be enough. Yingzhou must hold on for a month, and the Khitan and Goguryeo will retreat without attacking. The danger will be lifted. The court will have a countermeasure after the spring."
"Report——"
Suddenly, an anxious voice sounded outside the door: "Captain, Border Commander Xue Tao has come to report that Goguryeo suddenly sent troops, the border pass has been lost, the defender has rebelled, and the Goguryeo army may arrive at any time."
"What, where is Xue Tao?" Xue Wanshu stood up awkwardly.
Xue Feng opened the door and asked: "Where is my brother?"
"The news that Captain Xue desperately brought was that he collapsed at the gate of the east city and was gone due to excessive blood loss." The other party quickly explained.
When Qin Huaidao heard that Xue Tao was Xue Feng's younger brother, and his word was trustworthy, Goguryeo indeed sent troops. There was no such thing in history. It seemed that his arrival had affected the direction of history. I'm afraid it was the Wang family of Taiyuan who was responsible. He was angry and looked at it.
He said to Xue Wanshu: "Captain, the five thousand troops and horses I have are all under the command of the commander. The camp cannot be lost."
Xue Wanshu did not expect Qin Huaidao to directly hand over the military power. He was moved and said quickly: "General Qin is determined. Let's discuss this battle. Feng'er, send the order to close the city gate. The first battalion of the frontier army will go up to the city wall to guard the city. The second battalion will be on guard at any time."
When participating in the war, the Third Battalion is responsible for patrolling the entire city. Be careful if someone infiltrates and creates chaos. Open the city gate. Once discovered, shoot and kill."
"Follow the order!" Xue Feng hurried over.
Qin Huaidao originally thought he could rest in Yingzhou for a few days, but he didn't expect Goguryeo to invade. Things were more complicated than expected. He quickly spread out the map, thinking that if Goguryeo moved, the Khitan would also move. What was the Taiyuan Wang family planning?
What chess?
Soon, Qin Huaidao discovered a problem. Once the border pass was lost, Goguryeo could completely break through the defense of Yingzhou and send a force to surround it without attacking. The main force went south and captured Pingzhou in one fell swoop, while the Khitan was originally in the camp.
To the west of Zhouzhou, go directly south through the Great Wall, and join forces with Goguryeo to attack Youzhou. Once Youzhou is defeated, the Tang Dynasty is in danger.
Yingzhou became an isolated city, and there was no point in defending it.
"hiss--"
Qin Huaidao secretly took a breath of air. Although it was just a guess, various signs showed that it was entirely possible. Otherwise, why did the Khitan secretly gather troops to the west of Yingzhou, and why did Goguryeo suddenly take over the border? There must be a huge conspiracy behind this.
If Khitan and Goguryeo really wanted to join forces to separate the Tang Dynasty, they would never allow the isolated city of Yingzhou to exist and hold back the army. They would inevitably advance in two directions at the same time, go all the way south along the coastline, conquer Pingzhou, and take Yingzhou all the way.
Put an end to worries.
How should Yingzhou choose?
At this moment, Qin Huaidao's brain was running wildly, constantly deducing various possibilities.
Xue Wanshu couldn't help but ask: "Does General Qin have any ideas?"
"Captain, I am worried that Goguryeo will divide its troops and go straight to Yingzhou and attack Pingzhou. Since it has already taken action, Goguryeo has no reason to be timid and must seek speed. As long as it takes Pingzhou and marches to Youzhou, the Khitan will also pass through.
The Great Wall has rushed to Youzhou. Once Youzhou is lost, the Central Plains will be defenseless." Qin Huaidao expressed his guess.
Xue Wanshu's face changed drastically when she heard this, and she looked at the map without saying a word.
As a veteran general, Xue Wanshu also knew that Goguryeo suddenly attacked a small border gate, and there must be a big move behind it. Thinking of the recent Khitan secretly gathering an army in the west, it is really possible to go south to Youzhou. If so, the Xi tribe may also participate.
.
The area and population of the Xi people are twice smaller than those of the Khitan. They are located to the south of the Khitan, to the east of the East Turks, to the north of the Great Wall, and to the southwest of Yingzhou. The Khitan must pass through the territory of the Xi people if they want to go south.
Qin Huaidao's eyes also fell on the position of the Xi clan, and he said in a deep voice: "Captain, the Xi clan has a small population and few soldiers. I am afraid that the Taiyuan Wang family did not win over the Xi clan, but gave the Xi clan to the Khitan to lure the Khitan south.
The Khitan and the Xi tribe are next to each other, and they are happy to swallow up the Xi tribe's territory, obtain supplies, and then go south."
"It makes sense. The Khitans are just a bunch of white-eyed wolves who can't get enough to eat. After taking over the territory of the Xi tribe, they came to Youzhou. If they had the opportunity, they would invade the Central Plains and plunder them. If they didn't have the chance, they could still negotiate with the imperial court and leave.
This territory, and Goguryeo can annex the Yingzhou territory. In order to stabilize the situation, the imperial court has to temporarily compromise. These beasts have a good plan, but they have to ask me if I agree." Xue Wanshu said coldly, with a wave of excitement.
The fighting spirit breaks out.
Although the general is old, his majesty is still there!
"General Qin, if Yingzhou is given your command, how will you fight?" Xue Wanshu looked over with firm eyes.