"I don't wash away the cold weather, and often celebrate the New Year on my horse. At dusk, the clouds and sandy roads are deserted, and I sleep in bed under the bed."
Seeing the setting sun melting gold, the solitary smoke in the distance, and under the winding mountains, groups of people were riding back north, Yang Lin felt something and chanted casually.
"Shao Zai is so poetic. Today is New Year's Day. The brothers put together a pot of fine wine and gave it to Shao Zai." Lu Qian said with a smile. After speaking, he threw the pot of wine over. Yang Lin caught it with one hand and used his mouth.
He bit off the stopper, drank a few sips and cursed, "Damn, that's such a strong drink."
The surrounding guards burst into laughter. Yang Lin was affected and laughed too, asking: "It's another year, do you have a vision?"
Lu Qian said casually: "I just hope that I will be able to kill a hundred-foot pole, so that my brothers can follow the phoenix and soar into the sky."
Lu Wang sighed and said: "I just hope that the world will be peaceful, so that I can have the opportunity to return to Huaiyang and add new soil to my parents' graves. When I was young, I didn't know how to fulfill my filial piety. I just followed the Salt King and traveled north and south. I was very unhappy. It's a pity that I think of my parents.
By that time, I could no longer see him.”
Old man Zhu remained silent, remembering some past events, and the rest of the group started shouting loudly.
Suddenly, Lu Qian screamed, pointed in front and said, "Young Master, look!"
Surrounded by two mountains, I saw a short and fast mountain river swooping down from the coastal mountains and flowing into the sea alone. A majestic city stood on the beach, and the mouth of the sea was busy.
"This is the port on Guangnan West Road, but it has never been recorded in the court records." Yang Lin knew the terrain of Jiaozhi and Guangnan South Road well, and had done some homework before the war.
Lu Wang was well-informed and said in a low voice: "I heard King Salt say before that there is a pirate paradise north of Jiaozhi and south of the Song Dynasty. The pirates here are called Champa people. Although they gather to build a city, they don't belong to each one.
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These pirates are the most ferocious. They often gather in groups to rob the people of Jiaozhi and the Song Dynasty. They often plunder the coastal residents in small boats, sell them into slaves, and loot the ships passing by."
Yang Lin did not expect that there would be such a rampant group of pirates in this area.
"The Champa people? That's interesting." Yang Lin sneered and said, "Turn away from the north. Since they are a loose pirate alliance, they don't have the ambition or courage to pursue our group of elite cavalry when they see them."
In the city below, a group of pirates watched them turn their horses and leave. They also breathed a sigh of relief and put down their weapons.
The Champa people are far less superficial than Lu Wang understands. They were actually a small country a long time ago.
They rely on the fact that the sea-going ships of various countries are not very powerful nowadays and occupy almost all important straits. They are a huge iceberg-like obstacle to the merchant ships traveling to and from Southeast Asia.
There is a saying among merchants: you can still fight when encountering icebergs and storms, but you will definitely die when encountering Champa thieves.
Unfortunately, Nanyang and the Song Dynasty made the trade profits between shipping companies in Quanzhou City too great. It was not a temptation that these merchants could resist, so there would still be merchant ships taking desperate risks and taking this sea route full of pirates.
"Just let them go?" A young man wearing brocade and pale complexion asked angrily.
"That man's banner is clearly that of Yang Lin, who just defeated Jiaozhi. Do you know who Yang Lin is? If you don't let him go, I'm afraid he will be destroyed."
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Passing through this pirate city did not delay Yang Lin's progress for long, and soon he arrived at Shangsizhou on Guangnan West Road.
A colorful stage was set up on the outskirts of the city, local officials led a crowd to welcome the event, and all celebrities and gentry were present, but it still looked a bit shabby.
The Song Dynasty opened trade routes, but due to the prevalence of pirates here, everyone chose to take a detour through Qiongzhou.
A civil servant stepped forward quickly, lifted up his official uniform, crossed his hands and saluted: "I am going to the residence of Jia'an, the magistrate of Sizhou, to welcome the young master."
Yang Lin nodded slightly, jumped off the horse and said, "Jia Zhizhou doesn't need to be polite." He glanced around, raised his eyebrows slightly, and asked, "Where is the defense envoy in Shangsizhou?"
Jia Anzhai immediately replied: "General Liu was accidentally injured when he was exterminating the Champa thieves in Sumaozhou. He has been lying down for three days and has not yet woken up."
Yang Lin rolled his eyelids and said: "Well, in this case, can you ask the imperial court for orders?"
Jia Anzhai hesitated and couldn't answer. Yang Lin shook his head secretly. This was the normal state under the old bureaucracy of the Song Dynasty.
When something goes wrong, every official is responsible, but they are not all responsible for one aspect, so it is difficult to hold individuals accountable.
In the officialdom of the Song Dynasty under redundant officials, there were countless idle and useless officials, and everyone was just getting by with a muddle-headed mentality.
Since no individual can be held accountable, this situation is inevitable. Fortunately, my new policy will be implemented soon.
Jia Zhizhou was sweating all over and his thighs were trembling. Yang Lin did not continue to make things difficult for him. He said quietly: "We will rest in the city for a day and continue our journey tomorrow."
Two thousand personal guards slowly entered the city, passing by the streets of Shangsizhou under the curious and awed eyes of the people in the small town.
The local police led the way and took them to the prepared school grounds for repairs, where there were injured soldiers and horses everywhere.
Lu Qian echoed: "Young Zai, look around, it seems that they have indeed lost the battle."
"The New Deal has not yet been promoted. What is the fighting power of the local army? They take off their armor and are no different from ordinary people. There is nothing wrong with defeating the battle. It is a sin to avoid fighting. However, the pirates here are so rampant that they cannot be left unchecked."
Jia Anzhai, who was following him in silence and did not dare to speak, felt his bones lighten after hearing these words, and he called the Young Master Yingming in his heart.
It's not that they don't want to win, but the gap in strength between them is actually too great. The Cham people have repeatedly violated the border, and several coastal states and counties have suffered greatly.
If you want to fight, you are no match for me. Even if you win, you will not be able to catch up with the pirates who are escaping on the boat.
In addition, in such a remote place, the attention of the central government is low. They are often bullied by Cochin and pirates. There are caves in the mountains. Once there is any trouble, the people will hide their children in the caves.
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When Yang Lin entered the school grounds, Jia Anzhai hurriedly said: "Young Master, your residence has been sorted out behind here."
"No need, I won't be separated from my bodyguards for a moment."
Yang Lin didn't even raise his eyelids, feeling a little disappointed. The Song Dynasty looked so prosperous and powerful, but anywhere along the border, the people of the Song Dynasty were extremely miserable.
Even though the neighboring country was a small country, they dared to raise troops to invade without any fear of the power of the Song Dynasty. However, the monarchs and ministers of the past dynasties only cared about Bianliang and ignored these remote border crossings. Their repeated forbearance only fueled their arrogance.
Nowadays, even a little Champa, something that is not even a country, can bully the Song people into this.
Without curing the root cause, the Song Dynasty would be almost incurable!