The Han Dynasty was established in the tenth year of Jianxing and the Wei Dynasty was in the sixth year of Taihe.
At the end of spring in March, the melted snow from the mountains and the drizzle of spring rain moistened the earth, filling the fields and hills with greenery. When a spring breeze blew by, the water droplets rippled and swayed with the colorful sunshine.
On both sides of the river in Jincheng County, in the busy fields, many tenant farmers and Qiang Hu captives have raised their whips and whistled, trying hard to drive the cattle and horses for spring plowing.
Guo Huai, who walked slowly, led the county officials to inspect the spring plowing situation.
With the sudden increase of the garrison and many pastures outside Yuzhong County being occupied by the Han army, the harvest of each county will determine the outcome of the future war. As the general who controls the war in Liangzhou, he cannot tolerate any negligence.
However, he was promoted to General Zhenxi by Luoyang Temple.
As expected, Xiahou Ru was defeated and was transferred back to the imperial court, where he was appointed as a noble official.
If nothing unexpected happens, he will never hold military power again in this life.
This also means that the Xiahou family, the founder of the Wei State, has no more generals.
The one who had the opportunity to renew the honor of his family was not Xia Houba, who is now in charge of the army in Anding County, nor Xia Houxuan, the son of Xia Houshang, the former general who conquered the south.
Xiahou Ba made Emperor Cao Rui feel that he was not like his father because of the battle in the fields of Youfufeng Yangcheng.
Xia Houxuan, on the other hand, was hated by Cao Rui.
At the beginning, the powerful families in the Guandong state of Wei promoted the idea of "abandoning Liangzhou". In order to curb this intention, Cao Rui deposed Xia Houxuan, Zhuge Dan and others as a warning to others. However, after Xia Houxuan finally achieved great achievements, he became the nephew of Great Sima Cao Zhen.
Whether it was to appease Cao Zhen or not to disappoint Wei's other meritorious deeds, it didn't take long for Cao Rui to find other reasons to reinstate Xiahou Xuan and restore him to his original position.
But Xiahou Xuan committed suicide.
He is the third generation of the Xiahou family. He was born into wealth and wealth and grew up surrounded by the flattery of others.
I also picked up many bad habits.
For example, although he is clearly a general, he does not want to familiarize himself with the art of war so that he can one day lead the army in conquests for the country, but he is actually keen on the behavior of a wealthy and aristocratic family who only seeks fame and fame.
On weekdays, I often regard myself as a famous person and choose people based on my family status.
Cao Rui's queen, Mao, was from Hanoi and her family background was not high.
After Xiahou Xuanguan was reinstated, he once entered the palace and sat with the queen's brother Mao Zeng. During the banquet, he despised Mao Zeng's humble background and was displeased with his appearance.
After the emperor Cao Rui heard about it, he hated him deeply and moved him to the left as a Yulin prisoner with a salary of 600 shi.
This means that when Cao Rui comes to power, Xiahou Xuan will no longer be reused.
The only person who can restore the glory of the Xiahou family is the grandson of the late general Xiahou Dun, who is now in Xiahou Xian in Yangzhou.
Because he led more than a hundred tiger and leopard cavalry to guard Dian Nongxiaowei, and added Hu Zhi among his servants to take charge of the Yangzhou painting and farming.
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As a result, he received the gift of Emperor Cao Rui.
He was promoted to General Jianwu and assigned five thousand troops, under the command of General Manchong, General of the Eastern Expedition.
General Jianwu was Xiahou Dun's former official position.
Cao Rui's intention for this move was obvious, he hoped that Xiahou Xianneng, with Man Chong's advice, would one day become a talented person and continue his reputation as the commander-in-chief of his family.
Naturally, these matters have nothing to do with Guo Huai who is far away in Liangzhou.
He remembered that when Xia Houru received the edict, even though he had been prepared, his face was still full of melancholy and dejection.
It was as if he was suddenly bent down by the weight of time.
However, when the two handed over the tiger talisman, Xia Houru still encouraged him, claiming that whether Liangzhou could be defended depended on him. He also left him a trace of help - before leaving, his confidants who were about to die in the battle would One of Wang Mi’s concubines gave it to him as a gift.
At that time, Guo Huai was surprised and refused.
Coming from a well-known family in Bingzhou, he is no stranger to this kind of thing, but he personally rejects it.
And now, when the handsome and powerful soldiers are putting their lives at risk, how can he still have such thoughts?
But Xia Houru did not take back his good intentions. He just waved his hand and said, "Boji will know what I mean when I see that concubine." Then he galloped away.
Guo Huai was even more surprised.
Only after I went to see the concubine did I know what Xia Houru was referring to.
Because Wang Mi’s concubine is actually a Qiang!
After realizing this, Guo Huai also began to make plans secretly.
As for the garrison strength in Liangzhou, Cao Zhen, who was in Guanzhong, asked Wei Ping to resume his post as general and led 15,000 men to detour to Wuwei County to station as his back-up.
This is the last army of Wei to support Liangzhou.
No matter how the war is going, it is impossible to mobilize any more troops.
Because Cao Zhen couldn't let Guanzhong's troops be empty and be taken advantage of by the Han Dynasty.
Moreover, Liangzhou can no longer collect much grain and fodder tax, nor can it support many horsemen.
However, Guo Huai didn't have much worry about this.
If it is just for defense, Jincheng County has an advantageous location, and it will not be easy for the Han army to capture it. If General Wei Ping can shock the powerful people in the Hexi Corridor and prevent him from being distracted.
Yes, people in Liangzhou are more scattered than before.
Even the officials who were loyal to the Wei State in the past and had no intention of separatist rule have retired and retired.
It's Pang Qiao and Yang Feng.
When Xia Houru ordered the abandonment of Xiping County, he also took the opportunity to kill five Qiang species including Shaodang in the Huangshui Valley, and returned with countless baggage and people.
This made Pang Qiao and Yang Feng lose their loyalty to Wei.
The belief they both uphold is righteousness.
Needless to say, Pang Qiao had the ability to bend swords and was highly trusted by the leaders of the Qiang and Hu tribes.
But when the Qiang and Hu leaders trusted him, the Wei State turned against them and made him a disbeliever.
The same is true for Yang Feng.
During the early disturbances in Heyou, the Qiang tribe in the Huangshui River Valley lent him more than a thousand cavalry for battle, and he has never forgotten this kindness; but now that the Wei State is undeclared war on the Qiang tribe, he has no face. Serve again.
Therefore, after the two returned to Jincheng County, they hung up their seals and left hand in hand.
Guo Huai couldn't even say anything to persuade him to stay.
After all, it was he who secretly ordered General Hao Zhao to launch an undeclared war against the Qiang tribe.
Even Yang Fu, the governor of Liangzhou, could not retain him.
"Why did you drive your horse to overtake me in the old days?"
When the two of them passed through Wuwei and returned to Jiuquan County in their hometown, Yang Fu, who had received the news, came to persuade him to stay. Pang Fu used these words to question him.
Yang Fu was left speechless. After letting out a long sigh, he said nothing else. He just drove his horse and walked with them for more than ten miles, which was regarded as a farewell.
With great prestige, they abandoned their official positions and left, which brought a very bad influence to the Wei State.
At the very least, the right-wing centrifugal force in the Hexi Corridor has intensified.
Not to mention other Qiang and Hu tribes, they would no longer trust Wei's two-week garrison, let alone send troops to resist the Han army's attack.
But Guo Huai did not regret his previous decision.
The several Qiang tribes he asked General Hao Zhao to attack were originally double-minded and would inevitably become accomplices of the Han army in the future!
Attacking and killing them first will reduce the threat in the future.
By the way, this is a demonstration for other Qiang tribes - although the Wei army was defeated by the Han army, it was easy to destroy their tribe!
Before they want to help the Han army attack in the future, they must carefully consider the consequences.
Moreover, after Yang Feng left, the more than 4,000 Huangzhong Yicong did not disperse.
When those Qiang people were recruited as righteous followers, Xiahou Ru settled their families in Jincheng County.
They didn't dare to leave because of their family ties.
This can be considered a kind of luck.
After Guo Huai took over the power to supervise the war in Liangzhou, he asked General Hao Zhao to guard Sangyuan Gorge in Yuzhong County, General Jia Xu to continue to guard Siwang Gorge, Pang Hui led his headquarters to garrison in Lingju County, and he led the army to garrison in Zhiyang County.
Because it turned out that Wang Mi’s Qiang concubine was from a tribe in Zhiyang.
Coincidentally, his detailed work also revealed that the Han Hussar General Li Yan was unhappy because of his lack of military exploits. He was marshaling his soldiers and eyeing Jincheng County.
Tianshui County and Ji County gathered together.
As the ownership of Xiping County became the Han Dynasty, the land of Longyou became a treasure land in the eyes of the wealthy people of Shu.
Without any policy temptation from the court, they spontaneously divided into small clans to purchase land and settle down.
The Silk Road cannot bypass Longyou.
Although the powerful people in the four counties of Hexi have stopped purchasing tea and Shu brocade from Bashu due to the attack by Ma Dai and Shaodang Qiang King Mangzhong; but for the powerful families, Prime Minister Zhuge Liang has won many battles since the Northern Expedition. , it is also foreseeable that the Hexi Corridor will be recaptured in the future.
It's just a few years of waiting, and they can afford it.
Moreover, I just spent the past few years moving here to lay a solid foundation for future trade.
Inevitably, as the only route along the western route of the Silk Road, the Huangshui River Valley, the candidate for its governor also attracted everyone's attention.
After the war ended, when the prime minister asked the courtiers to select the governor of Xiping, the major factions that had formed a community of interests based on various factors such as the Northern Expedition in the early years began to select their own candidates clearly for the future Silk Road trade.
Needless to say, the Jingxiang Clan directly elected Liao Hua, who was stationed in Xiping.
As a member of a wealthy family in Miannan, Jingzhou, he met the conditions for serving as a prefect regardless of his qualifications and abilities. Moreover, he had previously served as the prefect of Yinping and had great experience in pacifying the Qiang and Hu tribes, so he was an impeccable candidate.
The Dongzhou scholars, who had almost integrated into the Jingxiang clan, began to think about recovery because Li Yan became the commander-in-chief of the attack on Liangzhou.
The one they recommended was Du Qi from Nanyang.
Together with Lu Yi and Liu Qian, the current prefects of Hanzhong, they were both former officials of the former Prime Minister's Office, Shi Wanglian Zhengpi, and both had good official reputations.
The first person recommended by the Yizhou clan was Yao Min from the Prime Minister's Office.
But because Yao Mianqian had just been appointed to join the army in the prime minister's office, he instead recommended He Zhi, the current prefect of Wenshan, who was from Shu County. The reason was also that He Zhi was a generous man and had experience in pacifying the Qiang and Hu tribes.
Only the Yuancong department did not recommend candidates.
They, who wholeheartedly look forward to regaining the Central Plains, have no intention of dealing with such entanglements of interests.
In other words, because their nephew is gradually taking charge of the army, there is no need for them to get involved in this kind of thing.
Zheng Pu was not in the mood to care about this kind of thing.
His identity is more sensitive.
As a scholar from Yizhou, he is related by marriage to the Yuancong clan, and the younger sister in the family is about to marry Xiang Cun from the Jingxiang clan this year. No matter which side you are on, it will be thankless.
It's none of your business, so why bother making a fuss about it?
Moreover, the Prime Minister has not yet decided on this matter. Does anyone know if there is anything involved in it?
In the mood of watching a good show, Zheng Pu led his army back to Hebei County, and after arranging all the troops and horses, except for occasionally going to Hebei County to learn about the military situation, he stayed in the Luomen Julu Family Courtyard.
At the age of twenty-seven, he is about to give birth to an heir - his concubine Du Shi is pregnant for nearly two months!
This made him extremely happy.
He had been a concubine for three years and had been married for two years. Before, he had vague suspicions that he might have some hidden disease!
When a happy event comes, he has no intention to pay attention to such things as fighting for power and gain.
However, some things cannot be avoided just because you want to.
When his elder brother Zheng Yan, who served as the magistrate of Chengdu, wrote a letter to inform his younger sister Zheng Yan about the family arrangements for her marriage, he even mentioned it.
He claimed that the wealthy people in Sichuan asked him to ask Zheng Pu to jointly recommend He Zhi to the post.
Because the person whom the wealthy families of Yizhou entrusted to intercede was the nephew of their late mentor Qin Mi, he couldn't save his face, so he left it to Zheng Pu's discretion.
This made Zheng Pu hesitate.
He also remembered Qin Mi's support and the friendship between the two families.
Especially, given his current official position and the goodwill between the Prime Minister and Emperor Liu Chan towards him, if they are willing to support him, He Zhi's hopes of taking office will be greatly increased.
It's just that this is at odds with his philosophy.
Since he embarked on his official career, he has deliberately avoided the responsibilities of governance.
For example, he concurrently held the position of leading the Prime Minister's Office to join the army, but even if he had free time, he never took the initiative to handle the affairs of the Prime Minister's Office; even Xiang Lang, who had been promoted to the post-consultant of the Prime Minister's Office, jokingly said that he was negligent.
Position but not seeking political power.
Naturally, he wanted to avoid suspicion.
Now that we have taken control of the military and conquest, it is better not to touch some powers.
In order to avoid being accused of being greedy for power.
For example, Wei Yan, who had also led the Sima of the Prime Minister's Office since the beginning of the Northern Expedition, knew how to avoid this kind of thing. Even when he was the governor of Hanyang, he only focused on military affairs and left all administrative matters to the long history (border commander).
The prime minister is a long history).
No matter how bad Zheng Pu is, he can't possibly not even know this common sense about official career!
It's just that it's hard to refuse Qin's request.
Alas, human nature is inevitable after all.
Zheng Pu, who was fishing by the creek with a fishing rod in his hand, couldn't help but feel irritated.
The Northern Expedition had just begun to gain momentum, and the selfish motives of all parties began to emerge. It was really short-sighted!
Perhaps it can be said that the prime minister has been delaying in deciding on the candidate for the governor of Xiping because he wants to take this opportunity to see which of the courtiers value self-interest and which of them serve the country fairly?
Zheng Pu had some vague guesses.
As for the reason for this, he recently learned that Zhao Guang, who was leading the cavalry stationed in Hanyang County, returned to Hanzhong County alone.
After the spring of this year, General Zhao Yun of the Guard fell ill.
Instead of getting better, it is getting heavier day by day.
Alas, he is getting old after all.
Prime Minister Zhuge Liang, who was also stationed in Hanzhong County, sent a letter to summon Zhao Guang to return to Hanzhong County.
To avoid any regrets.
Zheng Pu lived here. He speculated that the prime minister was because Zhao Yun's illness was getting worse and he felt that after the older generation of court officials slowly withered away, it would be difficult for the younger generation to have the enterprising spirit of the Northern Expedition to the Central Plains.
Therefore, he took advantage of the situation and took advantage of the entanglement of interests of the governor of Xiping County to see the behavior of many courtiers.
After all, the Prime Minister himself is already over fifty years old.
