Chapter 1 Thunder (Eight Up) After all the refugees who had been evacuated from the mountains were settled, it was already August. Li Xu did not dare to stay outside for a long time, so he led the army back south. The people along the way had just finished harvesting the autumn harvest. Hearing
When the general passed by, he took out the dried meat, salted fish, and fine noodles that he was usually reluctant to eat. He made dry food and snacks overnight, and swarmed to both sides of the official road to reward the soldiers. The soldiers received Li Xu's strict order and did not dare to accept the people's offerings.
The villagers who had always wanted to hide in caves when they saw the officers and soldiers refused to do so. They grabbed hot steamed buns and fragrant cakes and stuffed them into the hands of the soldiers.
"I can't do it, I can't do it!" Wang Xuba and others, who had just been recruited as soldiers, had never seen such a scene before. They all blushed and said goodbye loudly.
"Take it, take it, I'll have enough to eat and I'll have the strength to kill the thief!" The people didn't recognize Wang Xuba's true face, so they hung a greasy and meat-scented robe on his victory hook, with expressions on their faces.
A smile from the heart
"I just changed my armor yesterday!" Wang Xuba's face was so red that he almost bled, and he was filled with emotions. He knew that the people's support for the Boling Army was not an act.
First, he was robbed by the government, and then he was robbed by his own group of heroes. For more than five years, he had not had a single day on his birthday. Officials came and went, and the land that could be dug out with a hoe was suddenly transformed.
It became hundreds of miles of uninhabited wilderness
Only in the year when Li Xu took office, the government no longer dared to fight openly, and his group of "righteous people" finally returned to the right path. Thinking of this, he couldn't help but look at Li Xu again.
, thought to himself: "Actually, what the general does is not a new trick. Whether it is equalizing land or opening schools, it has been done for a long time in this dynasty. It's just that there is no official who is as conscientious as he is in making arrangements for me!"
"
Thinking of this, Wang Xuba's previous thoughts of striving for world supremacy and building a world-wide foundation became lighter. He secretly warned himself in his heart, "A good official like the general who is capable and willing to plan for the people is really praying under the lantern."
I can’t hope that since I voted for him, I will protect him wholeheartedly and ask for nothing else. Wherever I go in the future, I will tell my name and someone will treat me like I do today..."
Not only were newcomers such as Wang Xuba, who had just converted from bandits to the army, moved by the enthusiasm of the people, many veterans of the Fenyang Army and fellow local officials also deeply felt that everyone was just doing what they were supposed to do, and they were dismissed.
The common people see it as if thousands of families have Buddhas. If you don't work harder to repay this hard-earned reward and lose your simple enthusiasm, you will be worse than a pig or a dog.
Human nature is generally like this. The more respected you are, the more you know how to take care of your own image. Therefore, although the Boling Army has just integrated nearly 10,000 rogue bandits, its military discipline is more solemn than before. The army marched for hundreds of miles without committing any crimes. There was no need at all.
The Mingfa army sent by Li Xu was too restrictive
As the saying goes, "Fighting soldiers is like fighting bandits!" Since the founding of the Sui Dynasty, no matter whether it is the emperor's six armies or the elites of the Sixteenth Prefecture, any team marching is like locusts. People with strict self-discipline like the Boling Army,
It is really rare in ancient times and modern times that the common people are the most contented. After seeing the officers and soldiers so disciplined and exchanging praises for a few days, the four words "teacher of benevolence and righteousness" were spread far away and spread all over both sides of the Yellow River.
The speaker was unintentional, but the listener was very interested in it. "What kind of teacher of benevolence and righteousness? This boy named Li can trade for fame and reputation!" In Yuyang City, Luo Yi, who proclaimed himself the chief manager of Youzhou, angrily scolded Li Xu for replacing the imperial court.
The largest of the six counties governed was Zhuojun, but two-thirds of the land in Zhuojun was occupied by him and Xue Shixiong respectively. Currently, the three families are temporarily bounded by the Sanggan River and the ancient Great Wall, the richest Jixian and the richest.
The dangerous Juyongguan area was all controlled by the Hu Ben cavalry; to the west of Juyongguan, as far as Anleyuan in Hedong County, thousands of hectares of fertile land were temporarily managed by Xue Shixiong, the ambassador of the Northeast Road. As for Li Xu, the court appointed the consolation ambassador to the six counties. Instead,
It can only control the large area south of Sanggan River and east of Baihua Mountain, consisting of three small counties: Liangxiang, Zhuoxian, and Gu'an.
Although the place under Li Xu's control is small, it is becoming increasingly prosperous. Whether it is those newly sent to farm fields by the river or the people who were born and raised in Liangxiang and other places, now everyone looks up to General Manager Li and the Boling Army under his command.
Like a god, in comparison, the Huben Cavalry, who has been stationed in Ji County for more than ten years and has always been responsible for protecting the environment and the people, is looked down upon. A few days ago, in order to raise supplies for the Huben Cavalry, the General Manager of Youzhou made a slight
When taxes were raised, some "ungrateful" people closed their shops, packed up all their belongings and tried to flee south. If Cao Yuanrang, Luo Yi's favorite general, had not blocked the only pontoon bridge on the Sanggan River in time, I don't know how many people there were.
The small traders would sneak over to Li's side before the government had time to react.
"I don't think the man named Li has any good intentions! He sent people to farm fields and build canals on the south bank of the Sanggan River. He also set the tax rate so low. Isn't it obvious that he wants to seduce our Dingkou?" Cao Yuanrang is Luo.
The nephew of Yi's personal favorite concubine, he is also the most brave among the younger generation of Youzhou generals. Especially in front of Luo Yi, he has never been shy about showing off his courage. "In my opinion, we might as well kill Zhuojun before the snow falls."
We also got the other half. Anyway, the court has already regarded us as traitors, so we might as well do it more simply!"
"Gong Luo expelled those corrupt officials just to prevent them from colluding with the Goguryeo people!" Before anyone else could react, a cold voice came from the position closest to Luo Yi. The soldiers followed the sound and saw a picture.
A face as hard as the voice
"General Bu is right! We understand Luo Gong's difficulties, but the man named Li really bullies people too much." Cao Yuanrang was somewhat afraid of the speaker just now, so he cupped his hand and continued to find reasons for his suggestion. "Yesterday I chased
To arrest our escaped slave, his subordinate Guo Xuan actually led the county soldiers to stop him. If I hadn’t always remembered the instructions of the general manager, both parties would have taken action on the spot if I didn’t want to cause trouble!”
"This happened south of the Sanggan River?" General Bu's temper was as upright as the gun in his hand, and he exposed Cao Yuanrang's lies without mercy. The Sanggan River was the tacit boundary between the Boling Army and the Youzhou Army. Li
The officials under Xu have never organized refugees to reclaim wasteland on the north bank of the Sangqian River, and the Huben cavalry have also tacitly agreed not to herd horses on the south bank of the Sangqian River.
"The escaped slaves took advantage of our precautions and crossed the river on sheepskin rafts. If I don't chase them back, won't I lose the majesty of the tiger and the strong iron cavalry?" Cao Yuanrang secretly glanced in the direction of Shuai An, and then continued to explain his behavior.
excuse
"That's enough, who asked you to lead the cavalry across the river!" Huben General Luo Yi interrupted his sophistry with an angry shout, "How was this matter resolved in the end? Was he captured? Or were you driven back?
"
He felt very depressed, not only because of Cao Yuanrang's nonsense, but also because of the predicament he was currently facing. The reason why he just scolded Li Xu for his reputation was because he had a tentative mentality and wanted to see what his subordinates' attitude towards their neighbor to the south was.
But the result is very disappointing. Except for Cao Yuanrang, who has no ability, the other generals obviously appreciate the actions of their neighbor for more than half a year.
The instinct developed through years of military life made Luo Yi feel that Li Xu, the general manager of the Boling Army, would be a strong enemy of him. Although he once highly praised this young man who had risen rapidly recently, he was as good at using a knife as he was; and
Just like himself, he works hard to get ahead; just like himself, he is proud of others with his extraordinary abilities! Just like himself, he is disdainful of his origin and family background. Sometimes, Luo Yi even feels that Li Xu is his shadow in the past. He has gone through the same hardships, just like him.
Unyielding but appreciative, it is not a pleasant thing to have such a person similar to himself blocking the Youzhou Army's only way southward. Vaguely, Luo Yi, who is over fifty years old, even felt that
Whether his lifelong career can make further progress, Li Xu is the only obstacle he needs to face!
Before this son took office, all Luo Yi's plans were implemented in an orderly manner. In the past few years, in addition to Yuyang, Anle and Peiping where the Huben Cavalry was stationed, a large number of wealthy households who migrated to escape banditry in Hebei during the years of war have become Huben Cavalry.
The expansion provided sufficient tax revenue. Even when the imperial court cut off supplies, the Huben cavalry could still maintain a scale of more than 10,000 people on the plains. The cavalry of 10,000 horses and uniforms could crush all obstacles, no matter it was
Xue Shixiong or Yang Yichen knew that Luo Yi, the general manager of Youzhou, was self-proclaimed, but they did not dare to easily pick on the tiger, the iron cavalry, and Feng Ying.
It doesn't take much time, just two years and two more years of accumulation. Luo Yi can ensure that in addition to the tiger and ben cavalry, he can train an elite infantry that can attack cities and forts. The cavalry and infantry can cooperate with each other.
Sweeping the Central Plains, the opportunity to be proud is just around the corner
But Li Xulai appeared out of thin air, disrupting Youzhou's good development situation. The counties in the upper valley were no longer infested by bandits. The climate there was much warmer than that of Youzhou and Liaodong, so it also attracted more wealthy people.
The taxes in Huboling, Shanggu and other counties are set very low. The general manager Li Zhongjian seems to have no intention of competing with others, so he has very few soldiers under his command and does not need to burden the local government with excessive supplies.
What is even more infuriating is that this son gained the reputation of benevolence at almost no cost. Whether it is the people he placed under his care or the scholars he bribed with his small official position, almost all of them are actively building momentum for him in troubled times.
, this kind of fame is worth far more than tens of thousands of elite soldiers, putting all heroes who try to oppose him at a slight moral disadvantage.
"This person is either pure and simple, or he is an unparalleled hero!" Luo Yi remembered what his friend Yuan Tiangang said about Li Xu. Yuan Tiangang left these words and traveled around, saying that he wanted to find a way to end the troubled times.
Regarding Luo Yi's current predicament, he didn't have a single idea to help.
