Looking at Li Xiu's shabby figure, Wen Muqiao couldn't help but sigh and said, "I'm afraid the descendants of Princess Li will be lost to everyone!"
Although Han Daoming came forward to protect the Li family, and later tried every means to facilitate the exile of the Li family to Cai, Wen Muqiao naturally knew that Han Qian still wanted to use Li Xiu, but seeing Li Xiu like this was not only a bit pessimistic.
"It is inevitable that Li Xiu will be demoralized after receiving this blow. As for the Tangyi Army's march north this time, if they cannot gain considerable results, even if they do not suffer a disastrous defeat, the offensive and defensive momentum of us and the Shouzhou Army will be reversed. It will become the most intense area for both sides to fight for control - the Li family and five to six hundred members of his family, including his family members, have been thrown into this land that may be destined to be bloody. It is really difficult for him to cheer up."
Han Qian looked at Li Xiu's retreating figure and said calmly,
"However, the will of Prince Li's heir should not be smoothed out so easily. Maybe he still has some unresolved resentment towards me in his heart!"
"If it weren't for you, I think both Prime Minister Shen and Yang Zhitang might have wiped out the Li family and established their authority. Would he still have resentment in his heart?" Feng Yi curled his lips and said disdainfully, "Even if he comes back to his senses at this time, he will guess that we have From the beginning, he had the intention of luring the snake out of its hole, but could he still blame us for bringing the Li family to such a state? If Li Xiuzhen was so ignorant of good and evil, then as Wen Gong said, the descendants of Lijun and Queen would really disappear into oblivion. "
"It's resentment, not resentment," Han Qian corrected Feng Yi's words. "In Li Xiu's eyes, maybe I still use conspiracy to defeat the scheming people. There is still a little bit of pride in his heart that has not been smoothed away." !”
Han Qian told Wen Muqiao and Guo Rong about the time when they met Li Yu in Guangde, saying: "Before his death, Prince Li said he wanted to be buried in the south of Guangde City. Li Xiu eventually died of illness while Prince Li was ill. Burying him in Jinzhongling where he was stationed at the time - Li Xiu and Prince Li were both holding their nerves in their hearts."
Wen Muqiao didn't know that there was such a secret thing. He thought about the three flavors and said:
"I think back when Li Jun had the power to dominate the world, he retreated bravely. The people of Chu praised him for his benevolence, virtue and loyalty. However, the Marquis of Lin Jin was only in his early thirties at that time, and Li Xiu was even known as a famous general. He was seventeen or eighteen years old. At the time when he was the most prosperous and successful in his youth, he had to retreat to the mountains and forests with Prince Li. He could not be willing to do so. In this way, Li Xiu violated Prince Li's last wish and buried him in Jinzhongling. Later, he and Duke Chang Guo, With Lu Qingxia walking so close and looking like this at this moment, the energy he was holding back at the beginning is still there - and when he truly understands what makes you better than others, you will have another good general. "
"..." Han Qian smiled, looked at Cao Ba who was staring at Li Xiu's figure thoughtfully, and said, "Li Xiu is depressed because he expected that Cai will have to fight a bloody battle. If you don't mind joining the team and leading the troops, If you want to change your mind, you can go to Feng Xuan with Li Xiu..."
As long as he can go to the battlefield and seize the battle, Cao Ba doesn't mind being a soldier, but when he thinks about working with Li Xiu, or even thinking about Li Xiuchu arriving in Xiacai, he has to serve as county counselor. Maybe when the enemy army really kills Xiacai City, sir He must be appointed as the county captain. I am just a county soldier and a brave leader of the countryside. Do I have to obey his orders?
Thinking of this, Cao Ba couldn't help but bargain: "Why don't you ask me to catch up with our Lord Wen and carry the banner for our Lord Wen?"
"You bastard, if you can't even lead a team of soldiers, you will be looked down upon by Li Xiu for the rest of your life." Wen Muqiao scolded.
"Who says I can't even lead a team of soldiers? I was once the Marquis of Du Yu. I led three thousand athletes and killed Li Zhigao until he cried for his father and mother." Cao Ba said unconvinced, but when he saw Wen Muqiao
Blowing his beard and staring, he hurriedly ran down the cliff head to chase Li Xiu.
Han Qian laughed and said: "Wen Bo can make good use of a brave general like Cao Ba, but I don't know if Li Xiu can make good use of him - Mr. Wen doesn't mind if I give him to Li Xiu to train, right?"
"Cao Ba and Li Xiu can be strong and soft at the same time, which is of great benefit to both of them." Wen Muqiao said.
"Then let's wait and see." Han Qian said behind his back with his hands behind his back.
…………
…………
"Li Xiu!"
"Why, what else happened?" Li Xiu looked at Cao Ba chasing after him in confusion and asked in confusion.
"You may not know where Feng Xuan's camp is, I will lead you there..." Cao Ba, of course, would not admit that he was sent to Yongli, Xiancai County, as a soldier leader, and said while touching his nose.
"..." Li Xiu glanced at Cao Ba in confusion, thinking that when Cao Ba followed Wen Bo and defected to Tangyi, he was already a high-ranking general at the level of Du Yuhou. Is he really so free?
"I will take you to the camp to meet Feng Manzi." Cao Ba urged.
As the deposed queen of Emperor Yanyou, it was impossible for Li Yao to let Sui go out. However, except for her staying in Jinling to guard Emperor Yanyou's mausoleum, not only the descendants and family soldiers of the Li family who stayed in Jinling City were also freeing Sui.
For example, the sons of the county princes who stayed in Hongzhou to guard the family property were also reduced to civilian status. The tens of thousands of acres of land and houses and hundreds of slaves and slaves rewarded by Emperor Tianyou and Emperor Yanyou were all expropriated by the order of the governor of Hongzhou.
Fill an official position.
The huge county prince's mansion was like a tree falling down and scattered. At this time, in addition to Hongzhou, there were more than 20 disciples who defected to Xiacai to join the people in the Linjin Houfu. In addition to a dozen direct family generals, they were also in Huayang with Li Qi.
Outside, more than 600 people from the Li family, including the soldiers and their families, were resting in an open space on the north bank of the Jiaoshan Gorge pontoon, eating dry food and resting.
The yamen soldiers who took them to Xia Cai were handing over to Xia Cai officials.
Marquis Linjin's property and residence were all confiscated. Before leaving, Han Daoming sent over a dozen horses and carriages so that the young children in the house and the elderly, weak, sick and disabled could ride on the journey without too much hardship.
But others, even women, can only move on foot.
Fortunately, even among the female members of the Li family, there were not many delicate ones, and they mainly traveled in Huaixi. There was no shortage of food and accommodation at night, but it was not difficult to say.
But what makes everyone confused is where will the Li family go from here?
Unlike other ordinary people who have been tortured and numbed by fate, in addition to Li Xiu, Li Chi and others, many family generals and even the female family members of the Li family have a far deeper understanding of the current situation than ordinary people.
Xiacai is destined to be the site of the Fourth World War, especially since Tangyi built a pontoon bridge in Jiaoshan Gorge. Once the Weizhou rebels gain a foothold on both sides of the Guoshui River, they will try their best to remove this nail piercing the north bank no matter what the cost.
At this time, Tangyi also showed his determination to keep this protruding part of the north bank, and he would inevitably pay a heavy price.
At this time, six hundred members of the entire clan, old and young, were exiled to this place. Who can have any hope for the future?
A middle-aged woman was sitting on a stone to rest, surrounded by a group of women and children. When she saw Li Xiu and Li Chi coming back, she thought Cao Ba was an ordinary official from Xia Cai who was responsible for contacting them, and asked Li Xiudao: "You guys
Go see Han Qian, what will he say?"
Cao Ba just called Li Xiu and Li Chi away in a hurry without contacting other Li family members. At this time, judging from the middle-aged woman's popularity and the tone of her sitting and talking to Li Xiu and Li Chi, he guessed that she should be
Li Changfeng’s wife, Mrs. Zheng.
Li Yu had a wife and two concubines during his lifetime, but they both contracted illnesses and died in their forties or fifties. The eldest daughter-in-law, Mrs. Zheng, was in charge of the palace of the county prince for nearly twenty years.
Cao Ba heard that on the night of the palace coup, it was this woman who ordered the soldiers to take back Li Pu's body, followed by the guards and soldiers, and wanted to force their way into the Hou's mansion. It was she who ordered the soldiers to kill the rebels and defend them until Han Daoming.
Send Li Xiu and Li Yao back.
Compared with the Zheng family, his son Li Chi seems to have a much weaker temperament. He is familiar with poetry and books, but he does not look like a member of the Li family.
"Both Li Chi and I can serve in Xiacai County, but the Li family must stay in Xiacai." Li Xiu said with shame as he looked at the old, weak, women and children in the area.
"No room for bargaining?" Zheng asked with a frown.
"No." Li Xiu shook his head and said.
"It seems that Han Qian is forcing our Li family to live and die with Xia Cai." Zheng said with a sigh.
"Dad, when can I get my sword and bow back?" A boy of eleven or twelve years old struggled past a beautiful woman in her thirties and ran to Li Xiu and asked.
He was too young and didn't know the life and death of his family, nor did he know what bloody killing meant. He only thought about getting back the wooden sword and hunting bow that were confiscated when he left Jinling.
"Dog son Li Dan." Seeing Cao Ba staring at his son, Li Xiu said.
"Why don't your Li family's cubs practice spears instead of swords?" Cao Ba asked in a loud voice.
Before Li Xiu asked Cao Ba, a beautiful young woman in her twenties, holding the hands of a pair of four or five-year-old children, timidly squeezed from behind the crowd and asked: "Brother, have you asked about A Qi?"
news?"
"Li Qi is currently leading the veterans of the Longque Army in Huayang County, Shangzhou. The court has no intention of punishing him. It has issued an edict asking him to assist Liang Jun in building the Shuanglonggou Plank Road. Li Qi will take care of him.
Be good to yourself." Li Xiu comforted him and said.
"Do you want to write a letter and send someone to Huayang?" the young woman asked again.
"We will wait until we meet Feng Xuan." People under the eaves had to bow their heads. Although Han Qian saved the Li family from bloody liquidation, it would be a big mistake to think that the overlord of a party is a soft-hearted person.
What a mistake. Li Xiu thought that even if he wanted his soldiers to go to Huayang to find Li Qi, it would be better to say hello to Feng Xuan first. At this time, he introduced Cao Ba behind him to his sister-in-law, "This General Cao is from the Wen family. His eldest brother used to lead the army."
During the Zuoxiang camp, he served as a halberd bearer in the Zuoxiang camp."
At this time, two petty officials came over and took the Li family to a camping site about fourteen or five miles northeast of the camp.
There are dozens of huts built with logging in the camp, surrounded by a wooden fence. At a glance, you can tell that this was once an outpost camp on the north bank of the Bian Army. It is seven or eight miles away from the newly built Xiacai New City.
It looks like there are still traces of floods in the shallow areas on all sides.
At this time, the water level of the Huaihe River dropped, and the shallow trenches were filled with mud.
Two petty officials handed over a dozen military coupons, and the Li family arranged for people to go to the supply camp to collect rice, salt, firewood, pots, bedding and other daily necessities, and then left.
For the arrangement of the family's dependents, it would be enough for Zheng to take a group of women and the young men to take care of it. Li Xiu took Li Chi and went with Cao Ba to see Feng Xuan.
Seeing that the camp designated by Feng Xuan for them was outside Xia Cai Xincheng, and even to the east, it meant that the enemy troops crossed the vortex and swept over. The camp set up by Li's family would be an important support for Xia Cai's defense system.
point.
This situation was a hundred times worse than they initially expected.
The governor of Chuzhou was succeeded by Han Chengmeng. At this time, Feng Xuan, who was transferred to the deputy general manager of the Jiaoshanxia camp, was actually the chief general of Tangyi in the Xiacai area on the north bank. In addition to serving as the general of Yuhou, the capital of the first town division and first brigade, Feng Xuan was
, also served as the magistrate of Xia Cai County, and was responsible for the garrison of Xia Cai on the north bank, the construction of defense lines, and the reception and evacuation of refugees. He was so busy every day that he couldn't even move his feet.
Of course, he will not forget the fact that Li was exiled to Xiacai today.
Regarding the treatment of the Li clan members, Han Qian had already made a decision, and Feng Xuan did not need to ask for additional instructions.
Li Xiu brought Li Chi over to ask for a meeting. Feng Xuan took the time to meet with them and ignored Li Xiu's request to resettle the clan members in Caixin City. He just said: "You can recruit 1,200 households of refugees and resettle them in Lijiaxin City."
Near the stronghold, all the strong men and women are recruited as local warriors. Please give me the numbers in the next two days for the necessary soldiers and armor, tools and animals to build the stronghold..."
"Many capable ministers and famous officials in Tangyi would not have expected that once the main force of the aiding army to Bian County advances to Dan County, the main force of the rebel army will most likely cross the vortex from the east bank with the main force of the Mongol cavalry and cut into Dan County and Xia County.
Cai Jian, how are you going to fight then?" Li Xiu asked.
"This is not what you should be concerned about at this time," Feng Xuan looked at Li Xiu and said, "When did the children of the Li family stop fighting in fear of difficulties?"
Although ten years ago, Feng Xuan was just the leader of a small village with only a hundred households in Xuzhou. He was oppressed by a large clan of the same surname and did not have much arable land. He was forced to make a living by pulling fibers on the bank of the Yuan River with his tribe, and his back was covered with tears.
He was bruised and bruised by the rough fiber rope, but at this moment he just looked at Li Xiu, who was known as a famous general of the new generation, indifferently, and did not allow Li Xiu to question his decision.
"Below Li Xiu, the men of the Li family are not afraid of fighting to the death, but I would like to ask General Feng to show some mercy and place the young women and children in the family in Xiacai City. Li Xiu will never forget General Feng's tolerance." Li Xiu lowered his attitude and begged.
road.
"The five hundred and eighty-seven members of the Li family will either go to the city wall to serve as hard labor, or men, women, old and young will take up arms and be responsible for guarding the Li family's new village on the east side," Feng Xuan said, "Li Xiu, you choose for yourself!"
"I want the armor and weapons of the Tangyi army." Li Xiu gritted his teeth and said.
"Then you can come and talk to me after you pull the men out," Feng Xuan said, motioning to the army commanders and horses beside him to hand over the command talismans and other items to Li Xiu and Li Chi. Seeing Cao Ba standing evasively behind Li Xiu without saying a word,
Asked, "How come Mr. Cao has the leisure to run errands for the Li family today?"
"This, this..." Cao Ba stammered, "I have nothing to do, so I asked you to be the leader of a team - does General Feng need a guard leader? Is there an old man?
With Cao by your side, except for the first brigade, all of them were destroyed by the enemy, otherwise Cao would not have broken a hair on your head."
"Feng can't bear Master Cao's service. Even if he sends you to Cailai, you can just follow Counselor Li." Feng Xuan guessed that Han Qian would not even say hello for no reason.
He handed over Cao Ba, a troublesome person, and kicked him and Li Xiu together without thinking.
Li Xiu looked at Cao Ba in surprise, thinking that he was just wearing casual clothes today, but he didn't expect that he had been out of office for a long time. Only then did he get a team leader and start over again. He didn't know what he had done.
Just now, I saw Wen Muqiao, an old thief, enjoying himself beside Han Qian. It didn't look like the Wen family was treated as a miscellaneous family in Tangyi and was ostracized and suppressed.
Of course, he was not qualified to laugh at Cao Ba's situation. He was just taking Cao Ba and Li Chi back to nothing, the so-called Li family's new village.
They didn't spend much time at Feng Xuan's place. When they returned to the Li family's Xinzhai, they took a dozen generals on horseback and walked around the Xinzhai to survey the terrain. Li Xiu saw thirty or forty dwarfs, full of camels and horses.
Dangdang backpacks meandered from the direction of the camp to the side of Xinzhai - the post roads from Xiacai Xincheng and the north bank camp to Xinzhai have not yet been built, and the previous earthen road was trampled by the previous soldiers and horses.
It was full of potholes, and it had rained heavily in the previous two days, making it impossible for carriages to pass, so we had to use military horses to disperse camels to transport supplies.
The leaders were his third nephew Li Yan, who was only sixteen years old, and his son Li Dan, who was ignorant and fearless but seemed a little excited after crossing the Huaihe River. At this time, they led the cavalry with more than ten soldiers.
Without even thinking about it, this was the material they had just received from the camp.
In such a short period of time, the first batch of supplies for five to six hundred people to settle down in the village were delivered. The efficiency of the Tangyi army still shocked Li Xiu.
Two assistant officials led a team to follow Li Yan, Li Dan and the Li family soldiers, and rushed over to meet Li Xiu, Cao Ba and Li Chi.
The situation in Xiacai is quite special. In terms of military establishment, it is at the level of deputy town army and deputy camp, but within the administrative system, it is a county under the jurisdiction of Haozhou. Lijia Xinzhai also has to be included in the administrative management system as a township secretary.
What Feng Xuan meant was that Li Xiu accepted the refugees as county counselor and led the inspection of the township department, organized township braves, Li Xiu took Cao Ba, Li Chi was in a hurry, and there were still many details that had not been communicated in time, and Li Xiu was right
Tangyi's township administrative system was not very familiar, so Feng Xuan specially sent two assistants and a dozen people to act as assistants to Li Xiu.
"Zhou Qiao'an, Guan Zhui has met General Li, and Feng Shuai has given instructions. The most urgent task is that General Li only needs to be responsible for recruiting strong refugees, training local braves, building villages, building roads, and registering households. We can just tell us the complicated things." Two young men
A young assistant who was about the same size as Li Chi took Feng Xuan's signed order and walked up to Li Xiu and said.
Li Xiuda was on a gentle slope and could see the endless stream of refugees crawling like ants from north to south on the post road that had been repaired to the west. He wanted to select among them the strong and powerful men who had been in power for more than a thousand years and move them to Xinzhai.
It's not difficult to come.
However, in just one month, don't expect these newly recruited rural warriors to have the ability to fight in battle in the wild. However, if they form a stronghold to defend, the stronghold behind them will hang alone outside Xiacaicheng, and the tide will come.
How long can you hold it in front of the enemy soldiers?
Lijia Xinzhai is not far from Xiacai Xincheng, only about seven miles. In theory, they can be mutual aids, but there are two roads between Xinzhai and Xiacai City that are not very wide, but are quite deep and steep.
Currently, the trench is only made of four or five small boats tied together with ropes, with stacks of timber laid on top, and a simple pontoon built for people and horses to pass through.
However, the enemy is approaching from north to south. There is no defensive fortress on the north side of these two small pontoon bridges, so they can easily be set on fire by the enemy. Then the Lijia New Village will be cut off from Xiacaicheng by the enemy.
At that time, there were no elite soldiers and horses from Xiacaicheng to assist, and the Li family's new village was surrounded by enemy troops. With only a thin fence and thousands of hastily assembled village warriors, it would be considered a long time to hold on for three days.
.
"How many heavy troops are there in the camp that can be used here?" Li Xiu asked Zhou Qiao'an, Guan Zui and the other two assistants asked.
The strong and strong refugees were selected and could only do some simple physical work. Even in the next one or two months, more energy would be put on urgent camp defense training, but Li Xiu knew that Tangyi attached great importance to craftsmanship and war.
At this time, craftsmen will inevitably be recruited from various places, and the craftsmen will be organized into the baggage team, making the construction capacity of camps, roads, and bridges much higher than that of the imperial army and the guards.
It's just that the Tangyi Army was working hard to build Xia Cai Xincheng on the north bank at this time. Li Xiu doubted how much manpower and resources could be devoted to Xinzhai.
"If General Li needs it, he can transfer a team of 60 weaving craftsmen from the camp. For some rough physical work, even if the strong men need urgent training, they still have to recruit some strong women from the refugees to supplement them!"
Official Zhou Qiaoan replied.
Li Xiu knew that resources and manpower could not be allocated too much to Xinzhai, but when he heard that he could only mobilize a team of 60 craftsmen to help strengthen Xinzhai, he felt desolate and confused. Tangyi and others
After cultivating such a large number of craftsmen and craftsmen for many years, why are we so stingy in taking action now?
It was necessary to reinforce Xinzhai as much as possible as soon as possible, and to build two iron beam bridges between Lijia Xinzhai and Xiacaicheng that were not easy to be burned down. Li Xiu thought that even if Xinzhai could recruit some labor
, but Feng Xuan has to recruit at least six to seven hundred craftsmen for him to have enough craftsmen...