In the autumn and July of the twelfth year of Daye, in Renxu, the emperor decreed that the Fenyang Army be renamed the Boling Army, and he gave Li Xujin, the general manager of the Boling Army, the title of Doctor Ziguanglu, and ordered him to continue to serve as the consolation ambassador of the six counties, and to undertake the selection of supplementary counties from Zhi.
County Civil and Military Officer. At the same time, the Ministry of Civil Affairs approved Li Xu’s memorial recommending Cui Qian and Zhang Gongyi to inspect the posts of Shanggu County Sheriff and Boling County Sheriff. (Note 1)
No one was ruined, and no one was ruined. Both sides, who were at war with each other, each gained something and shook hands. Countless onlookers were dumbfounded. As for the person involved, they remained silent and did not let outsiders know what they were feeling.
"The man surnamed Li is so lucky that even the old woman Tang Gong jumped out to help him!" Some bystanders muttered unwillingly, and it was unclear whether the expression on their faces was jealousy or envy. But then again, if the man surnamed Li is really
There is a piece of mud that cannot hold up the wall. Will Tang Guild, who is always cautious, come to help at this juncture?
For countless experts who are paying attention to the current situation, Li Yuan's sudden action is more than just doing a small favor for his nephew. More than half of Hedong and half of Hebei, three generals with heavy troops, plus ten
With several high-ranking officials above the fourth rank, an important local force has been vaguely formed. Anyone who wants to reach out to it has to consider the consequences. Especially at this time when the imperial court is weak and wars are happening all around.
The smart people began to quietly change their positions. Before the Fenyang army returned in triumph, the four governors who were still in their positions led their officers into the mountains to work for the army. While helping Li Xu boost his morale, they also took the initiative to comfort the envoys.
Looking for talents. Scholars from all over the country who were originally rejected by the counties became popular in an instant. From the county magistrate, the governor to the chief ministers, as long as Li Xu was willing to recommend them to take office, the county guards
The adults accepted everything as ordered.
After thanking several colleagues for their kindness, Li Xu came up with a list that he had prepared a long time ago. Local military positions had to be changed. In addition to Zhuojun County Prime Minister Guo Xuan who had some abilities, the other five counties
Those county magistrates and county lieutenants are all masters who run away first when they see the bandits. If you count on such people, you will definitely not be able to save your country. There happen to be some veterans in the Xiongwu camp who have been seriously injured and are not suitable to stay in the army to risk their lives.
As for the two counties of Boling and Shanggu, since even the county guards have been changed, it is simply a complete change from beginning to end. In addition to leaving some official reputation and ability,
Except for the barely passable minor officials, all other positions were filled by those who ranked first in the last examination. Those scholars and veterans who obtained official positions based on their own abilities rather than the legacy of their families, although they lacked political experience, were all very enthusiastic. They granted land and reclaimed wasteland.
, tax collection, peace of mind, and all orders passed down from the General Manager's Office were executed meticulously.
After such adjustments, the six counties finally had a completely new look. Not only were the government orders flowing smoothly, but the wealthy children who usually relied on their family power to do whatever they wanted had to restrain themselves a little to prevent the officials who had just taken office from blaming them.
The happiest people are naturally those scholars from poor families. Although the official positions assigned by Li Xu are far from their ideal goals, after all, they have the opportunity to show their talents, and they are no longer as dark and invisible as before.
bright.
It was not just the aristocratic families who were shocked. When what happened outside the mountain was quietly spread into the mountain through the mouths of thoughtful people, Wang Xuba, who was attacked from both sides, could no longer sit still. He had no strength to resist attacks from both directions of Hebei and Hedong.
, although the two official armies currently use blockade as their main tactic. If they continue to consume, everyone will starve to death in less than two months. Li Xu's actions in the six counties of Hebei gave him a hope, or
Said, a gap suddenly opened in his desperate heart.
"Tell me, if we go to seek refuge with General Li now, will he give us a good death?" Wang Xuba asked tentatively while holding a bowl of wild vegetable broken rice porridge so thin that it could almost make out the silhouette of a human figure.
. Shanzhong has been hungry for half a year, and more than half of the fleshy pimples on his face have disappeared. His hot temper has been completely "cured" by vegetable porridge. He is weak when talking, and has completely lost the arrogance he had at the beginning of the year when he looked down upon the world. "You said
, will he fulfill his original promise and find us an official position? Or will he, like other dog officials, deceive us out of the mountain and immediately behead us in public!"!
"Here, this General Li is not that kind of person. He said he would not continue to attack the mountain before harvesting autumn. Doesn't that mean he really didn't attack?" Sitting opposite Wang Xuba was the second-in-command Wang Junkuo, who was his nephew in terms of seniority.
Er. Before his family fortune was wiped out by corrupt officials, he had learned swordsmanship from a martial artist for two years. He was the most brave general in the "Great Yan Kingdom" and his words were more weighty. "Besides, he even defeated those who tried to rebel."
If he didn’t kill anyone, why bother us? It’s just that he did this. He is benevolent and righteous, but he has lost his authority..."
"This is indeed true. It seems that my uncle is still an official in Zhuo County. People who went out to inquire about the news said that Mr. Li also obtained the title of General Dingyuan from the court for him. He is a genuine fifth-level official!
"The third boss, Guo Fang, responded vaguely while drinking vegetable porridge. Since the autumn harvest officially started, the blockade outside the mountain has been slightly relaxed. People like them have no chance of rushing out and causing trouble again.
Possibly, but the news from the outside is still only half-scale.
Those aristocratic families who secretly opposed General Li took the initiative to surrender, and the officials in the yamen also changed their tune. Different from any previous open and covert fights, the losers were not exterminated, but were given a slight punishment.
Let bygones be bygones. The best example is Guo Fang's uncle Guo Xuan. With the support of thousands of county soldiers and local wealthy families, this man did not take General Li seriously before. But after he understood the situation clearly and took the initiative, he
After losing his sincerity, General Li did not make things difficult for him. Instead, he got the fifth-grade official for him who had never dreamed of getting him before.
"My uncle, my uncle sent someone to deliver a message saying, let bygones be bygones. General Li is a responsible man, we'd better make plans early!" After taking a breath, he continued to add. "My uncle is still here.
He said that the sooner he comes down from the mountain, the sooner he will be safe. He has met countless high-ranking officials in his life, but none of them are like..."
"Don't mention your uncle bird!" Li Fu, the fourth master, was so noisy by the "sucking" sound of the third master, Guo Fang, that he threw the cracked pottery bowl on the table and cursed angrily: "
Your uncle, who is your uncle? If he hadn't promised to stab Li in the back to save us from the siege, would we be stuck here eating wild vegetables and grass roots? He would have listened to me.
If we go to the east of Hedong, we won’t be afraid of others not agreeing to surrender if we want to surrender like today!”
"Fourth brother, don't go back on old accounts!" Wang Xuba quickly stopped after hearing Li Fu's words going off topic. "What happened in the past is in the past. The top priority is to discuss how to survive. The last bit of food is in everyone's bowl. If
We haven’t come up with an idea yet. We don’t need the troops to go up the mountain, but our own people have to fight over the stuttering!”
What he was talking about was the current situation in the village. Since the Hedong soldiers and horses completely blocked all roads leading to Lingqiu, the last supply channel on the mountain has also been blocked. The little food and grass funded by some big shots at the beginning of the year was simply not enough.
Wrap, the bottom was seen at the beginning of this month. Everyone expected to use the terrain to inflict heavy damage on the enemy and turn defeat into victory. As a result, both the troops in Hedong and Hebei only blocked the enemy's camp and did not attack. Braving the rain of arrows to attack the opponent's camp was not a good idea.
The minions were strong, so Wang Xuba had no choice but to rely on the outside of the mountain to rescue the siege. But now, the big shots outside the mountain have shaken hands with General Li and made peace. They must have swallowed all the promises made in the past.
No one cares about the life and death of these bandits who have lost their use value. They can only find ways to save themselves.
"But Guo Xuan, Guo Xuan had an appointment with us. Now that he has returned to General Li, in order to cover up those dirty things in the past, he will inevitably find ways to kill people and silence him!" Li Fu spoke freely, but his mind was not blind.
The ground is simple. What can't the big shots outside the mountain do? They were the ones who planned to harm people in the first place, and now they are the ones supporting General Li. Isn't it easy for a black hand to turn everything around and set a trap for everyone?
Hearing this, all the leaders let out a long sigh. One wrong step led to a wrong step. If I had known today, when General Li set out the recruitment conditions, everyone should have immediately sold him the conspiracy of those big figures outside the mountain.
.Now that all the opportunities have been snatched away by others, no matter how hard I try, I will always be nothing more than a backhand...
"How about we join the Li family in Taiyuan? I'm afraid their strength is stronger than General Li's?" After sighing, Wang Xuba wiped the green vegetable residue from his mouth and asked in a consultative tone.
"I'm afraid that the brothers below won't be willing." Guo Fang, the third leader, was obviously inclined to go down the mountain to confess his sincerity to Li Xu. He had already prepared a lot of rhetoric in his mind. "If the tens of thousands of us in the mountain go to Hedong
, we may not be able to eat. Once two thorns appear among them, can we still be safe under Tang Gong? If we vote for General Li, it will not be the case. General Li promised to lend seeds to everyone to cultivate the wasteland, brothers.
It was just a hard time back then, and now that I have a chance to farm again, I may not be willing to pick up a knife again!"
"But then we would have no power in our hands!" Wang Junkuo was the most capable and more utilitarian than the others. "If more brothers are left behind, our official position will be more secure. If all the brothers go home to cultivate wasteland,
,Aren’t we still just at the mercy of others?”
"I would rather the officer is as young as possible. Even if he starts from a soldier, it means he has forgotten all about the past!" Li Fu scraped the vegetable porridge at the bottom of the bowl into a pile with his fingers, stretched out
Licking it clean with his tongue. "We are originally farmers. If we have a good life, who wants to be worried?"
"If we just want to go home and farm, General Li will definitely not allow anyone to do evil things to us. He can accommodate Cui Laosan..."
"If you are farming, what should you do if those officials come to bully you again? Can the man named Li guarantee that all his subordinates are honest officials? If you ask me, it is better to go under the command of Duke Tang and become an official yourself without anyone else taking care of you!"
"It's not slow to get promoted following General Li. He is the youngest general in this dynasty!"
"There is a future with Mr. Tang..." The leaders were all talking about it, and no one could make an accurate decision.
"Let's discuss the matter of survival first, and we can talk about it after we decide not to be an official!" Wang Xuba saw that everyone was starting to go off topic again, and quickly brought the conversation back to the right track. "Let's first talk about whether it is more likely to survive by seeking refuge with General Li, or by seeking refuge with Duke Tang.
We have a lot of confidence. We can’t put it off any longer. The longer we put it off, the less progress we can make!”
"General Li!" Guo Fang was the first to respond. "It's a gamble on both sides. It's better to bet on something you can see. He can accommodate my uncle and Cui Laosan, so he won't have trouble with us!"
"If we really want to go down the mountain, I, I will choose General Li! After all, we have seen who he is." Li Fu also agreed with Guo Fang's suggestion.
"In terms of the immediate situation, I agree to take refuge in General Li. In the long term, we should take refuge in Duke Tang. After all, generations of Dukes have built a strong family with deep roots. Although General Li has a good heart, it is just a woman's kindness, and it may not lead to great things in the future!
"Wang Junkuo hesitated again and again and made a difficult decision.
General Li has a good heart, so he can't achieve great things. Since ancient times, those who achieve great things have evil intentions. If they can let go of those who conspired to frame him, wouldn't it be an encouragement to the traitors? All the leaders agreed with Wang Junkuo's reasons.
But whether it can achieve something big is a very long-term goal, and it has nothing to do with whether everyone can survive at the moment. After repeated discussions, Wang Xuba decided to surrender to Hebei, "If you can't be an official, it's okay if you have a piece of land to farm."
It’s better than having your head chopped off and hung on the city wall!”
After coming to a conclusion, he called the rest of the leaders to the Juyi Hall and announced his final decision in public. Unexpectedly, from the 'General' to the 'Governor' to the 'Zhi Ge Xiaowei', all his subordinates
None of the civil and military officials raised any objections. After a moment's shock, these dishonest rebels cheered. Ruo even secretly wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes.
"Actually, they just want to live!" Wang Xuba instantly understood all the content behind the cheers. To be a general, prime minister, and live a vigorous life is only the wish of a very small number of people like Wang Junkuo. There is a piece of land to farm, and there are
Having a safe place to eat and a thatched house to keep out the cold are what most people want in their lives.
When they lost their way to survive, they had to rise up. When they found that there was still hope of living a stable life, they would rather put down their swords and guns. That General Li outside the mountain may not be able to accomplish anything big, but his understanding of the people's thoughts is actually that of all people.
the deepest of them all.
"If I had known this, why would I bother with it!" Wang Xuba smiled bitterly, made up his mind, and walked quickly out of the mountain. (To be continued)
