Chapter 347 The spy battle to catch ducks on the shelves
The Crane Control Agency is affiliated to the Crane Control Division of the Song Dynasty, and is an agency specialized in collecting information on foreign enemy military intelligence and rebel forces for the Song Dynasty.
However, in the later years of the second emperor Zhao Guangyi, there was relative peace between the Song and Liao Dynasties, and the resistance forces in the Southern Tang and Southern Chu areas gradually died out. The status of the Control He Division and its subordinate yamen was deteriorating day by day.
As for the Crane Control Bureau in non-border areas, it has actually become an empty shell for officials to provide for their retirement or receive a second salary for free.
There are two main reasons why the current official Zhao Heng gave Han Qing the title of Judge of the Crane Control Bureau in addition to his official duties in prison.
First, it would make it easier for him to avoid being constrained by local officials and thoroughly investigate the assassination of Zhang Wengong during the Zuojun patrol in Kaifeng Prefecture.
Second, he was grateful to his grandfather Han Chonggui and uncle Han Chongyun, who both played a major role in establishing the Crane Control Division, so that he could get an extra salary.
As for what matters the Crane Control Department should be responsible for and what long-term and short-term goals it has, Zhao Heng did not make any requirements.
After Han Qing came to Jingdong East Road, he first had a fierce fight with the five major families, and then because of the assassination of Zhang Wengong, he uncovered the scandal of Yang Xingyan selling young men and women to the Liao Kingdom, and the Chunyang Cult rebellion.
After he finished handling these messy cases, the Korean navy and the Liao cavalry arrived at his door one after another.
Therefore, until now, as the judge of the Crane Control Bureau, he has not had time to control the affairs of the Crane Bureau. He just arranged for several of his direct descendants to occupy an official vacancy there for convenience.
Today, the Eastern Route Army of the Liao Kingdom is near Yucheng and has been unable to achieve its goal of crossing the Yellow River. It must change places and make other plans.
As soon as the Liao East Route Army left, the danger on the Jingdong East Road was immediately lifted. Han Qing, the Xiang Army commander who had been temporarily arrested by Ding Wei, finally had some time to spare.
Based on the experience of Han Qing and his two generations, I don't believe that the officials of the Song Dynasty and the important officials in the court could laugh it off when they heard the rumors that he was a "reincarnated person".
It is even more unbelievable that after the Liao Kingdom deliberately spread the rumors, there was no follow-up.
He needs a legitimate and reliable force that can pay attention to all aspects of the situation for him in a timely manner. At the same time, he also needs a group of people to continue to help him fight against the Liao Kingdom's southern pedestrian division.
The patchwork army he currently has in his hands is definitely not suitable for the above tasks. The Crane Control Agency, which was originally an empty frame, immediately came into his consideration.
In addition, commanding an army to compete with Liao veterans on the battlefield, Han Qing really didn't have much confidence in himself.
Don't look at the fact that he is currently fighting with Yelu Longxing, the coach of the Eastern Route Army of the Liao Kingdom. In fact, he has never had a head-to-head confrontation with the latter.
He just relied on the natural dangers of the Yellow River and the convenience of having a large number of ships at hand, and worked hard to attack the second-rate troops from the Liao Kingdom, thereby gaining strategic initiative and forcing Yelu Longxing to stay away from Jingdong East Road.
If he was ordered to lead his brothers to guard a city, or to conquer a Liao cavalry of 2,000 men, the natural dangers of the Yellow River and the convenience of ships would cease to exist at the same time.
By then, even if he has grenades to help him, the outcome of the battle may be completely reversed.
On the other hand, at the Crane Control Agency, although Han Qing was also an outsider in spy warfare. However, based on his perspective and experience, it seemed that the opponent's level was not much better than his own.
Whether it was the Liao Kingdom's Nanmian Xingren Division or Xiazhou's original Feilong Division, they were both Caotai teams. The gap between them and the professional spy agencies he had seen in TV series in his previous life was far beyond human imagination.
From a certain perspective, the current spy structures of various countries only have a rudimentary form. Many working techniques and methods are still being explored, and the tools that can be used are very, very limited.
Even if Han Qing builds a tall building from the ground, because he knows the general direction, it is much easier to catch up with his opponents than to command operations and compete with veteran generals for supremacy.
After Jingdong East Road turned the corner, in order to prevent the elites at hand from being scattered, it would be more convenient and less noticeable to place everyone in the Crane Control Office.
Of course, there is another reason that cannot be told to outsiders, but Han Qing understands it in his heart. That is, he is a very grudge-minded person.
Although in the Battle of Pingyuan, he "reimbursed" half of the backbone of the Nanmian Xingren Division of the Liao Kingdom, Xiao Dalin, the general manager of the Nanmian Xingren Division, is still alive in the world.
The other half of the Nanmian Pingren Division have not suffered any blows. As long as they are given a few months, they can absorb and cultivate fresh blood again, allowing the Nanmian Pingren Division to become active again and cause harm to the world.
These people will not wait for him to kill them at the front line like Xiao Moke did again.
Even with heavy troops, Han Qing could not fight all the way to Shangjing and completely uproot the Xingren Division in the south of Liao Kingdom.
As for the Crane Control Bureau and the Pingren Division in the south of the Liao Kingdom, they no longer have to be subject to geographical restrictions. Whether it is within the Song Dynasty or in the areas controlled by the Liao Kingdom, a small number of elites can come and go freely.
"The capital commander of this signing army has been captured. He said that he has important news to report to you, as long as you can spare his life!" Yuan Bao was panting, holding the iron Buddha hand that had lost its color.
He ran forward and reported loudly. (Note: The Iron Buddha's Hand is an ancient heavy weapon, a variant of a long-handled hammer. The hammer head is like a human hand with a thumb raised. It can break armor.)
"Bring me here!" Han Qing's thoughts were quickly pulled away from the development of the Crane Control Department, and he gave a friendly smile and loudly ordered.
Yuan Bao immediately waved behind him, and several of his fellow villagers quickly brought a man with bright armor but a pale face in front of Han Qing.
"Spare your life, spare your life if I am punished! Although the young man is the commander of the signing army, he is only responsible for escorting the food, grass and baggage. He has never fought against the Song army, and has never killed a Song person!" The man was extremely smart and immediately fell to his knees.
On the ground, first cleanse yourself from the crimes of the Liao army's indiscriminate killing of innocent people.
After being captured, the mercenaries all claimed to be cooks. Han Qing had seen this often in his previous life. Therefore, it was not surprising that the other party lied. He shook his head and responded with a sneer: "Whether I will spare you or not, does not depend on Han, but on yourself.
If the things you brought out are of sufficient weight, Han will certainly not mind escorting you to Bianliang and handing them over to the court for disposal. If you just want to provide some irrelevant information and get away with it, haha..."
At this time, Song and Liao were fighting, and they captured the opponent's slightly higher-ranking generals. They usually did not kill them directly. Instead, they persuaded the prisoners to surrender, or to keep them in exchange for the generals captured by the other side in the future.
However, if the captive insists on committing suicide and martyring his country, or is killed by the formation, he will not be included in the persuasion to surrender and exchange. Therefore, Han Qing does not need to speak too clearly. A few sneers are enough to express his attitude.
The captured signing army commander Ma Dianliang immediately stood up with chills. He quickly raised his right hand and swore to God, "It's enough, it's absolutely enough, and it's absolutely true. If I dare to tell a lie, God will thunder."
Kill me. Han is punished. The rear of the Liao Kingdom is unstable. The Jurchens have formed an alliance in Hushui, and the eight tribes have become one. The emperor's younger brother Yelu Longyou is said to be uneasy. Qi King Handerang has rushed to Shangjing to take charge at starry night.
If he cannot suppress Yelu Longyou and the Jurchens, Daliao will have no choice but to withdraw its troops from the front line to quell the rebellion!"
