Hu Xiaotian smiled and said: "I'm afraid you don't know that Zuo Xingjian has returned to Baiquan City, and even reported to the court that you colluded with the Bixinshanshui thieves to steal and devour the imperial food."
Jiang Zhengyang gritted his teeth and said: "That despicable villain is simply shameless." He turned to Hu Xiaotian and said: "I have no choice but to go to this day. At the beginning, I sent Zuda to the district to come to you to borrow food, but you ruthlessly refused.
Yunyang has run out of food and wages, and people and soldiers are starving to death every day. We have no way to survive. Hu Xiaotian, why do you want to give the hard-earned food to the court? Do you know that even if he gets the food, he will not
Distributed to the people, even if his conscience found out that the grain was used for disaster relief, after layers of exploitation by corrupt officials, there would be very little left in the hands of the people."
Hu Xiaotian secretly thought that what Jiang Zhengyang said was true.
Jiang Zhengyang said: "I still don't understand why you insist on not lending me food? Are you really loyal to the court?" At this point, he shook his head and said: "The emperor sent you to Dongliang County.
When you were in exile and Tang Boxi led 30,000 naval troops to attack you, it was the emperor who ordered everyone to stand still. Don't you know it? He has harmed you many times, but you are still willing to serve him? "
Hu Xiaotian said calmly: "Master Jiang doesn't need to worry about my affairs."
Jiang Zhengyang sighed sadly and said: "That's right. Who am I qualified to judge you at this stage? Whether you are loyal to the emperor or have other agendas, it has nothing to do with me. I only ask you one thing, don't
Kill all my subordinates. They sweat and bleed for the great prosperity, but in the end they can't even get a bite to eat. If they weren't forced into a desperate situation, who would defect to the rebels?"
Hu Xiaotian stood up and said: "Don't worry, of course I won't go back on what I promised you."
Jiang Zhengyang looked at Hu Xiaotian's back. He suddenly understood that the 300,000 shi of grain that Hu Xiaotian gave to the court was by no means that simple. He wanted to use these 300,000 shi of grain to disrupt the situation within Dakang and take advantage of the chaos to develop his own
Jiang Zhengyang felt infinite emotions in his heart as he was the one who bore the brunt of the attack. He was indeed a hero, and he was not unjustly defeated. He said loudly: "Can you give me a three-foot green blade so that I can kill it on my own?
"
Hu Xiaotian stopped, hesitated for a moment, and then said: "I will let them bury you alive."
Zhuge Guanqi was invited to the mansion by Hu Xiaotian late at night. Hu Xiaotian was sitting on the kang in the study room reading a book. Seeing Zhuge Guanqi arriving, he smiled and said: "Brother Guanqi, I didn't disturb your rest, right?"
Zhuge Guanqi said: "I am also reading a book and have not rested yet, but if I come out at this time, I am afraid that my wife will complain."
Hu Xiaotian chuckled and said, "It's all my fault. I'll go over to apologize to my wife tomorrow."
Zhuge Guanqi said: "Didn't you already send Visa to appease people? They are very nice sisters. I guess we will chat until dawn this time. Anyway, I will stay in the study all night. There are many people to talk to here.
Where are the people."
Hu Xiaotian asked Zhuge Guanqi to go up to the Kang to talk.
Zhuge Guanqi didn't show too much restraint. He took off his shoes and sat down on the kang.
Hu Xiaotian said: "One hundred thousand shi of food was lost this time."
Zhuge Guanqi said: "Although we lost one hundred thousand shi of food, we have eliminated Jiang Zhengyang and severely damaged the Yunze water bandits. No one within three hundred miles around Wuxing County can compete with you."
Hu Xiaotian said: "I have already reported to the court. I just said that Jiang Zhengyang transported 150,000 shi of grain, and he took advantage of this matter to save money. Don't you think so?"
Zhuge Guanqi couldn't help laughing when he heard that he was so cunning. He looked at the map on the small table and saw that Hu Xiaotian had drawn a circle in Baiquan City, and asked deliberately: "Sir, do you want to capture Baiquan City?"
Hu Xiaotian said: "Zuo Xingjian is an old fox. This time Jiang Zhengyang guarded and committed theft. He also had a share in it. Now he is pretending to be a good guy. He has less than 5,000 soldiers and horses. It should be easy to capture Baiquan City."
Zhuge Guanqi smiled and said: "So this person has the clearest understanding of what happened, and his mind changes very quickly."
Hu Xiaotian said disdainfully: "You are a dirty villain, but in terms of character, you can't compare to Jiang Zhengyang."
Zhuge Guanqi said: "Why use troops against such a villain? It is a good thing that he knows how to deceive the court."
Hu Xiaotian heard something in his words and smiled: "Sir, do you have any ideas?"
Zhuge Guanqi said: "I am not talented at watching chess. I am willing to go to Baiquan City to help you persuade Zuo Xingjian to submit to you."
Hu Xiaotian blinked his eyes. After knowing Zhuge Guanqi for so long, this was the first time that he took the initiative to express his willingness to do things for him. Hu Xiaotian felt very happy in his heart. Does this mean that Zhuge Guanqi will help him wholeheartedly from today on? Hu Xiaotian
Xiaotian said: "Baiquan City is not as important as Brother Guanqi. I won't worry about you going alone."
Zhuge Guanqi laughed and said, "Your Excellency, you still don't believe me."
Hu Xiaotian said: "It's not that I don't believe you, but since Brother Guanqi is willing to go, I have no objection. But if you take Gao Yuan and Zhan Peng there, they should be able to protect your safety."
Zhuge Guanqi knew that Hu Xiaotian was thinking about his own safety, so he nodded, feeling warm in his heart: "Zhan Peng is back?"
Hu Xiaotian nodded and said: "He is back. The military advisor asked him to come back first to report the news. The 10,000 troops sent by Guo Guangbi turned back outside Yunyang City. They gave up entering Yunyang City."
Zhuge Guanqi said: "In this case, Guo Guangbi is very wise. He should have noticed that there is something fishy about this matter."
Hu Xiaotian said: "I heard that Guo Guangbi has a counselor named Tian Geng who is very strategic. Guo Guangbi also obeys his advice."
Zhuge Guanqi said: "Tian Geng and I once had a relationship. This man is indeed talented and has a good diplomacy."
Hu Xiaotian said: "I just don't know why such a talent would take refuge in Guo Guangbi? It's really a secret betrayal."
Zhuge couldn't help but smile while watching the chess game.
Hu Xiaotian said: "I am going to recruit Jiang Zhengyang's remaining troops and select some well-trained soldiers to join our camp."
Zhuge Guanqi said: "The reason why those soldiers followed Jiang Zhengyang to rebel was because they were desperate. If you give them a clear path, they will definitely be grateful."
Hu Xiaotian said: "Yunyang has become a city without an owner. Xingzhou does not dare to enter, and our troops and horses deployed around Yunyang do not dare to withdraw easily. Everything needs to wait until the emperor issues an order."
Zhuge Guanqi said: "The emperor will most likely send a powerful person to Yunyang. On the one hand, he will deal with Guo Guangbi of Xingzhou, and on the other hand, he will restrain the development of the adults."
Hu Xiaotian nodded and said: "It is very possible that even though they have no evidence in the Yunze battle, they will eventually guess my fault." Even if the court guesses that he is responsible, Hu Xiaotian has nothing to be afraid of.
After all, it was the imperial court who made the decision to ask Jiang Zhengyang to come and escort the grain. Of course, they had to drink the bitter wine brewed by the imperial court themselves.
Zhuge Guanqi said: "The size of the territory occupied does not represent the true strength. The fist is always stretched out, it is better to retract it and punch out for greater power!"
What he said is the simplest truth. In fact, Zhuge Guanqi still has some worries about Hu Xiaotian. In the great situation in front of him, will Hu Xiaotian be dazzled by successive victories, and then become blindly optimistic and enter the stage of rapid expansion?
At this stage, Hu Xiaotian's total military strength is currently just 50,000, and more than 10,000 of them do not have much battlefield experience. 50,000 troops can control the three cities of Wuxing County, Dongliang County, and Dongluocang. However, if they expand blindly,
It will dilute the military strength. Of course, Hu Xiaotian has already started recruiting troops, but with the expansion of the army, a series of problems will gradually become apparent.
Zhuge Guanqi's view is that soldiers should be more valuable than more, and Hu Xiaotian's previous battles have also proved this.
Hu Xiaotian said: "I have remembered what Brother Guanqi said. Don't worry, I have no plans to expand at the moment. But in terms of geographical location alone, both Baiquan City and Yunyang have considerable strategic significance."
Zhuge Guanqi said: "It depends on where the master plans to go next."
Hu Xiaotian said: "There are water thieves in Yunze and rebel thieves in Xingzhou. This time the emperor lost one hundred thousand shi of food. I'm afraid he will point the finger at Yunze."
Zhuge Guanqi smiled and said: "This is an excellent opportunity for adults. The reason why the Yunze Water Pirates can thrive in Bixin Mountain is because of its unique geographical location. It is surrounded by a large body of water, which is easy to defend and difficult to attack. The Yongjiang River
Separating the north and the south has become the natural boundary between Dayong and Dakang, while the Wangchun River separates the east and west banks. If you can control the Wangchun River and then control Yunze, you will have an invincible territory within Dakang.
"
Hu Xiaotian nodded and said: "Now is the time when the Bixin Shanshui Bandits are at their weakest. Their five hundred ships have been destroyed, and their combat effectiveness will inevitably be greatly reduced."
Zhuge Guanqi said: "Bixin Mountain is located in the center of the entire Yunze. If a navy is established here, in the future, the navy can attack any important town around Yunze. The navy can cooperate to achieve a two-pronged approach. Control the two major cities of Yongjiang and Yunze.
After the water area, the Wangchun River is completely under your control. You can use this water system to transport the army to wherever it is needed in the shortest possible time."
Zuo Xingjian has been in panic since he fled back to Baiquan City. Although he has sent people to report to the court and put all the responsibilities on Jiang Zhengyang, there is no airtight wall in the world. He is still worried about himself and Jiang Zhengyang.
It was known that they had joined forces to devour the imperial grain.
Watching one hundred thousand stones of grain sinking into the clouds, Zuo Xingjian felt painful in his heart. Seeing that the New Year was approaching, there was not much grain left in Baiquan City. Even he, the prefect, could only eat gruel every day.
In fact, life in Dakang was not easy no matter where it was. Maybe the situation in Wuxing County was better. Zuo Xingjian also had the idea of going to Wuxing County to borrow food in the past. Later, he heard that surrounding towns went there to borrow food, and everyone was arrested.
After ruthlessly refusing, Zuo Xingjian gave up the idea. He asked himself that he didn't have the face and it would be in vain to go there. So later Jiang Zhengyang approached him to discuss swallowing up the imperial grain, and Zuo Xingjian agreed without hesitation. (To be continued.
