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 their autumn crops. When they heard that the general was passing by, they turned to
They took out the dried meat, salted fish and fine noodles that they were reluctant to eat, and made them into dry food and snacks overnight. They flocked 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 offerings from the people.
The villagers who wanted to hide in caves after seeing 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 be full and strong enough to kill the thief!" The people didn't recognize Wang Xuba's true face, so they hung a greasy mandarin gauze that smelled of meat on his victory hook, with expressions on their faces.
A smile that comes 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 emotion. He knew that the people's support for the Boling Army was not an act.
At the beginning of the new year, I was first robbed by the government, and then by my own group of heroes. I have not had a peaceful life for more than five years. Officials come and go, and they take this fertile land that can dig out oil with a hoe and force it.
It has turned into 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 more highly.
He looked at his eyes and thought to himself: "Actually, what the general is doing is not a new trick. Whether it is equalizing land or opening schools, it has been around for a long time in this dynasty. It's just that no official is as serious as him in waiting for me.
That’s it!”
Thinking of this, Wang Xuba's previous thoughts of striving for world supremacy and building a world-wide foundation became lighter. He quietly 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 ask for anything. Since I voted for him, I will protect him wholeheartedly. I don't ask for anything else. Wherever I go in the future, I can tell my name and someone will treat me like I do today..."
Not only were newcomers like 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 were also deeply touched. Everyone just did what they should do, and then
Being looked upon by the common people is like a Buddha among thousands of families. If you don't work harder to repay this hard-earned gift 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 image. Therefore, although the Boling Army has just integrated nearly 10,000 rogue bandits, its military discipline is more solemn than before. The army traveled hundreds of miles without committing any crimes.
There is no need for excessive restraint from the Mingfa army sent by Li Xu.
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 Sixth Army 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 and modern times. The common people are the easiest to be satisfied. When they see the officers and soldiers observing such discipline, they praise each other. Within 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 intentional. "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 general manager of Youzhou, scolded Li Xu angrily.
The largest of the six counties governed by the imperial court was Zhuojun, but two-thirds of the land in Zhuojun was occupied by him and Xue Shixiong respectively. At present, the three families were temporarily bounded by the Sanggan River and the ancient Great Wall, and the richest
The Jixian County and the most dangerous Juyongguan area were both controlled by the Huben 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 Liu Shixiong
The county comforts the ambassador. In Zhuo County, he can only control a 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 originally born and raised in Liangxiang and other places, now everyone looks to General Manager Li and the Boling Army under his command.
He is like a god. In comparison, the Huben Cavalry, which has been stationed in Ji County for more than ten years and has always been responsible for protecting the environment and the people, is underestimated. A few days ago, in order to raise supplies for the Huben Cavalry, the General Manager of Youzhou
The government slightly raised the tax, and some "ungrateful" guys closed their shops, packed up all their belongings and tried to flee south. If it hadn't been for Cao Yuanrang, Luo Yi's favorite general, who blocked the only pontoon bridge on the Sanggan River in time
, I don’t know how many small traders will sneak to the side of Li before the government has 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, and he also set taxes so low. Isn't it obvious that he wants to seduce our Dingkou?" Cao Yuanrang said.
The nephew of Luo Yi's personal favorite concubine 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 him before the snow falls."
The other half of Zhuojun has also been obtained. Anyway, the court has long regarded us as traitors, so we should simply 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 man
A face as strong as his voice.
"General Bu is right! We understand Luo Gong's difficulties. But the man named Li really bullied others too much." Cao Yuanrang was somewhat afraid of the person who just spoke. He cupped his hand and continued to find reasons for his suggestions. "
Yesterday I was chasing our escaped slave, and his subordinate Guo Xuan actually led the county soldiers to stop him. If I hadn't always remembered the chief steward's instructions and didn't want to cause trouble, both sides would have started fighting on the spot!"
"This happened south of the Sanggan River, right?" General Bu's temper was as straight as the gun in his hand, and he exposed Cao Yuanrang's lies without mercy. The Sanggan River is the default boundary between the Boling Army and the Youzhou Army.
, the officials under Li Xu never organized refugees to reclaim wasteland on the north bank of the Sanggan River, and the Huben cavalry also tacitly agreed not to herd horses on the south bank of the Sanggan River.
"The escaped slaves took advantage of our negligence and used sheepskin rafts to cross the river. If I don't chase them back, won't I lose the majesty of the tiger and the strong cavalry?" Cao Yuanrang secretly glanced in the direction of Shuai An, and then continued to explain his actions.
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 scolded Li Xu just now for seeking fame was because he had a tentative mentality and wanted to see how his subordinates treated his neighbor to the south.
What a feeling. But the result was very disappointing. Except for the incompetent Cao Yuanrang, the other generals obviously admired the actions of their close 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 had great respect for this young man who had risen rapidly recently. He was as good at using a knife as he was.
; Like himself, he works hard to get ahead; like himself, he is proud of others with his extraordinary ability! 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, and he has gone through the same things
Hardships are the same as perseverance. But appreciation is appreciation. It is not a pleasant thing to have such a person similar to myself blocking the path that the Youzhou Army must pass southward. Vaguely, he is already over fifty years old.
Luo Yi even felt that Li Xu was the only obstacle he had to face if he could make further progress in his lifelong career!
Before this son took office, all Luo Yi's plans were implemented in an orderly manner. In recent years, except for Yuyang, Anle and Peiping where the Tiger Cavalry was stationed, wars continued in other parts of Hebei. A large number of wealthy households migrated to escape banditry.
Sufficient taxes were provided for the expansion of the Huben Cavalry. 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, 10,000 cavalry, all wearing uniforms, could crush them.
Any obstacle, whether it is Xue Shixiong or Yang Yichen, knowing that Luo Yi, the general manager of Youzhou, is self-proclaimed, they dare not easily attack Hu Ben and Iron Cavalry Feng Ying.
It doesn't take much time, only two years. With only two more years of accumulation, Luo Yi can guarantee that he can train an elite infantry in addition to the Tiger and Ben Iron Cavalry that can attack cities and forts. Iron Cavalry and Infantry
Cooperate with each other to sweep the Central Plains, and the opportunity to be proud is just around the corner.
But Li Xu appeared out of thin air, which immediately disrupted Youzhou's good development situation. Boling and Shanggu counties were no longer infested by bandits. The climate there was far warmer than Youzhou and Liaodong, so it also attracted
More wealthy households. The taxes in counties such as Boling and Shanggu were set very low. Li Zhongjian, the general manager, did not seem to have the consciousness to compete with others, so he had few soldiers under his command and did not need to burden the local government with excessive supplies.
What's even more irritating is that this son gained the reputation of benevolence at almost no cost. Whether it was the people he settled or the scholars he bribed with small official positions, almost all of them were actively building momentum for him. In troubled times
Among them, this reputation 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.
.As for the predicament Luo Yi is currently facing, he doesn’t have a single idea to help. (To be continued)
