Chapter 977
Changes in Xihe County
Chapter 977 Changes in Xihe County
In the government office,
Although it was early morning, the faces of several people were as dark as night, which was very ugly. Their words were so blunt and unpleasant.
The prefect Li Chengliang stroked his beard and suddenly laughed.
"The two generals are confused. The government troops and the garrison troops are all in the same state and are negligent in military preparation. As long as the numbers match, the rest is not a big deal. We can't let the government troops and the garrison troops be as elite as the imperial guards in the capital. Just get the job done first, and we can apologize for the rest after seeing the prince."
Li Chengliang had already made up his mind that he would surrender as soon as the prince arrived. As Xihe County was about to face a major battle, they would be indispensable for his support.
"Is this possible?"
Fu Qiubai thought of the ordinary people he had recruited from his camp, as well as the servants and guards. They couldn't even stand in a line if they changed their clothes, let alone a battle formation. The prince would definitely be displeased to see this. If he saw any signs of this, he would be punished.
The two were still a little confused, but when they saw that Li Zhifu had put on his official robes and was about to leave the government office, the two generals realized that the prince had already entered the city, and they quickly called for their personal soldiers to follow him out.
Outside the house,
Several officials from the prefectural government were already waiting outside the mansion in their official robes. They stood outside in silence, looking forward to what was to come.
But the north gate was wide open,
Prince Beijing led his army into the city. When he arrived at the city gate, he lifted the curtain of his carriage and glanced at the gate guard. The latter bowed and greeted him without moving.
After taking a look, he lowered the curtain of the carriage, and disappeared after the army entered the city. The guarding general Fan Heng then raised his head and wiped the sweat off his face. The prince was still so majestic.
Thinking of what he had just done, he was embarrassed. After all, his ancestors had been generals who had always been attached to the Northern Prince's Mansion. After his father passed away, the Prince of Beijing inherited the title, and he had no chance to get close to him. Now, it could be said that this was a good opportunity.
"Quick, bring the horses over, and you stay here to watch the city gate."
"General."
Without waiting for the deputy generals to speak, Fan Heng jumped on his horse, whipped it hard, kicked the horse's belly, and galloped away. In a few breaths, he caught up with them.
He stopped near the frame and was stopped by the shadow guard.
"Everyone, I am Fan Heng, the governor of Xihe County. My father, Fan Yu, once served under the Northern Prince's Palace. I have something important to report to the prince."
The shouting was loud, and the surrounding shadow guards were slightly stunned. Inside the carriage, Beijing Prince Shui Rong raised the corner of his mouth, thinking that someone was coming, and shouted to the outside,
"Let him come over,"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The person outside the car responded, and Fan Heng followed carefully on horseback, waiting outside the car window.
"Tell me, what's the matter?"
"Your Highness, several officials in the prefectural government in the city have already discussed recruiting soldiers before you came. Now, there are only civilians who have changed their clothes in the camp. In addition, the treasury is empty and there is not enough food and grass."
Fan Heng did not say much about the rest. He had said what he needed to say. The yamen master was responsible for recruiting soldiers, so who should these soldiers obey?
Shui Rong narrowed his eyes, and instantly had a rough guess in his heart. It seemed that Li Chengliang and Liu Yunluo were really daring, but now was not the time. It was more important to find a way to rescue Shizhou.
"I understand. There is nothing wrong with recruiting new troops. I will make arrangements later. You just need to guard the city. I will send someone to take care of the rest."
"Yes, Your Majesty. I will take my leave."
Fan Heng had a look of joy on his face. Although the prince did not say anything else, this statement meant that he accepted him. He thought that his luck had come. Especially when he thought of the garrison general Meng Enyuan, that old bastard who only knew how to flatter and make money, he felt very angry.
After people leave,
The King of Wei was somewhat curious in the carriage. In such a tense battle, Xihe County was still so relaxed. The officials in the prefectural government were not sure what to think. Corruption was rampant and the military preparations were lax. No wonder the White Lotus Sect and the Taiping Sect were expanding rapidly and acting as if they were in an empty land.
I don't know if the court and my father know about it. The King of Wei felt a rare sense of solemnity in his heart. He also vaguely knew his father's intention. He remembered that his mother had told him that the position of the crown prince should be occupied by a virtuous person. Maybe he was more aggressive than his elder brother.
"Your Majesty, it seems that these officials in Xihe County are all corrupt and incompetent. I wonder how Your Majesty will deal with them when the time comes."
King Zhou Chong of Wei could not tolerate any sand in his eyes. With the war imminent, perhaps he could deal with these parasites and confiscate their property to get the military pay. After all, when the Imperial City Bureau confiscated the property in the capital, the silver they got shocked the court and the public.
But Shui Rong smiled bitterly and shook his head, refusing;
"Your Highness, I admire your loyalty, but the war is imminent. First, we must stabilize people's hearts, take back the military power, and then prepare for war. Military preparation is not only about training soldiers, but also about logistics. We need these corrupt officials to raise money, food, and other supplies. Your Highness, there are priorities, please think twice."
Shui Rong explained patiently. The most critical thing now is how long Wei Xiangping can hold out in Shizhou. Will it be enough time for the 30,000 soldiers from the East King's Jiangnan camp to gather in Yangping? If he can't hold on, Yangping will fall within two days. Then the reinforcements from Jiangnan and the troops from Qinan will not arrive. At that time, how should he defend the city with only 20,000 elite soldiers from the Chang'an County government?
Perhaps sensing Shui Rong's anxiety, King Wei calmed down and asked softly;
"Your Majesty, are you afraid that Wei Xiangping won't be able to defend Shizhou?"
Come to think of it, once Shizhou is lost, who can defend the entire Xihe County? Yun Guang, who came with him this time, only has 20,000 soldiers and horses, which is not enough. Although he is not familiar with military tactics, when two armies face off, the side with more soldiers will naturally have the advantage.
"Well, Wei Xiangping is a very arrogant person, and Runan is a big city. Even he was forced to retreat. I think the White Lotus Sect is still as powerful as before, so I am worried."
Shui Rong sighed and felt a little regretful. It would be great if he could switch places with Prince Dongping. Unfortunately, he only had one chance.
Just at this time,
The convoy slowly stopped.
On the streets of the inner city, several officials from the Xihe County prefectural government were waiting to greet him at the street corner. As the saying goes, one should not hit a smiling person. Shui Rong immediately changed his expression and got off the carriage.
"Your humble servant Li Chengliang, (Liu Yunluo) (Yu Fei) pay homage to His Majesty,"
He bowed and saluted without any disrespect.
"Haha, you are too polite, my lords. I came from the capital, so I am a guest. When I come to your place, I will follow your wishes."
Shui Rong laughed and said something politely, but in that moment, Yun Guang, the governor of Chang'an County, and Xue Shou, the vanguard general, were already behind Shui Rong. One on the left and one on the right, they were wearing armor, like two door gods, which was very frightening.
Li Chengliang bowed again hurriedly.
"Your Highness, you are joking. Now the White Lotus Sect has invaded Xihe County. There are few soldiers and generals in the county. We are terrified. Now that Your Highness has the honor of coming, I am overjoyed. From now on, the county will follow Your Highness's arrangements."
The extremely flattering words made the judge Liu Yunluo and the co-magistrate Yu Fei frown. What did Brother Li mean? He didn't discuss this with them. Then they looked at the two generals Fu Qiubai and Meng Enyuan, whose faces were gloomy. It seemed that the three of them had discussed it privately. When the two of them lowered their heads, they made eye contact and felt a chill in their hearts.
"Alas, I didn't expect that Li Zhifu's heart is with the court. In this case, I will not refuse. The enemy army is strong, and we should work together to wipe out the enemy army. Xue Shou, today I order you to command all the troops in Xihe County and organize the army immediately."
He glanced at Yun Guang again and ordered,
"Yun Jiedushi, take over the county city immediately and strictly check the people coming in and out. Don't slack off."
"Yes, my lord, I will obey your orders,"
The two of them did not hesitate, clasped their fists and responded, then led their troops forward, leaving Fu Qiubai and Meng Enyuan pale.
Only Liu Yunluo smiled slightly. He tried to steal a chicken but lost the rice. If Beijing Prince Shui Rong was so easy to fool, how could he let the court go so easily? "Your Highness, the government office has prepared a banquet to welcome you. I wonder if His Royal Highness the Prince of Wei,
Looking inside the carriage, the ceremonial guard in front was the King of Wei's, so why didn't the King of Wei come out? The others were also curious.
"No need. I am tired. Prepare the yard. I am going to go back and take a nap."
inside the carriage,
The King of Wei was a little annoyed. He had already arrived at the destination, and there was still a lot to say. He had been trapped for a long time and felt uncomfortable all over.
"Uh, yes, Your Highness, someone come, take Your Highness to the front yard of the east main hall to rest."
Yu Fei rushed forward and rescued Liu Tongpan.
He asked the steward behind him to lead the way and let the King of Wei's carriage go forward. The mighty imperial guards and the imperial city guards also quickly followed. Although his face was full of joy, his heart was chilled. It seemed that Shui Rong was still in charge of the county city. This was not going to be easy.
These things are just minor incidents.
As Shui Rong led his troops into the government office, his power became more and more powerful. When everyone entered the main hall, they saw a table in the middle of the hall. A banquet had already been set on it, and the food was steaming. It can be seen that they acted quickly.
Shui Rong was not polite and walked over to sit in the main seat. Then everyone took their seats one by one.
"Your Majesty, you have worked hard on this journey. I have made hasty preparations. Please do not despise the simplicity of Xihe County."
As if he had figured it out, Li Chengliang actually said something nice. I don't know what this person is up to.
Shui Rong threw his sleeves and glanced at the dishes on the table. They were not delicacies from land and sea, but they were also delicacies. They were prepared in a very short time and a lot of effort was put into them. He smiled and said;
"You are joking, Magistrate Li. If the food on this table is simple, there is no dish in the world that is not simple. My Lords, I am here under the order of His Majesty for one thing, which is to wipe out the White Lotus bandits. Are you willing?"
As soon as he opened his eyes, he was filled with murderous intent. Several adults shuddered. They did not expect that Prince Beijing could have such power. They nodded hurriedly.
"Of course I am willing,"
"Okay, that's good. If that's the case, I'm relieved. Is there enough food and grass in the city treasury?"
Shui Rong narrowed his eyes and looked at Li Zhifu beside him, but saw Li Chengliang stood up and replied seriously;
"Your Highness, it is enough for now. There are many wealthy merchants, sects and martial arts schools in the city, so we can still make up for it. I just don't know if they are willing to do so. If Your Highness gathers fewer soldiers, the treasury can support the expenses. If you gather more, it will definitely not be enough."
The reason for saying this is that they discussed with each other and made up for the shortfall in this year's revenue overnight, using their own grain and grass to deposit into the government treasury. This is why they just talked about this.
Shui Rong was quite surprised after hearing this. What the city guard Fan Heng said about the treasury being empty was a lie. But it was not impossible that these people passed the money around. He smiled and said,
"Prefect Li is indeed a pillar of the court. In this case, Lord Li will raise military supplies and food. If you encounter difficulties, you can come to me and tell me. As for gathering troops, there are more than 100,000 soldiers in total. The court will provide the food and money for these 100,000 soldiers, but Lord Li will still need to raise funds for the county and city troops and garrison troops."
Shui Rong picked up the wine cup and raised it to the crowd.
"Everyone, the enemy army is powerful and we need to work together. Don't complain. I will use courtesy first and then force. If anyone dares to hinder the battle, he will be severely punished."
"Yes, my Lord, I will definitely work together to fight against the bandits!"
They all replied in unison, and then drank the wine in their hands.
Yamen East Garden,
As soon as King Wei Zhou Chong arrived at the courtyard, he impatiently got off the carriage and walked towards the main hall with dazed eyes.
The imperial guards behind him first sent someone to search. After checking everything was correct, the King of Wei moved his feet and walked in. He went to the bed in the warm room and lay down on the bed with his clothes on. Two eunuchs took off his shoes and socks.
Outside the house, Lady Qiuye had already ordered people to take down the gifts. She glanced at the house and it seemed that everything would be safe for a short time.
"Report, Your Highness, Prince Beijing Shui Rong has entered the main hall of the government office. The people watching under me said that a group of officials from Xihe County set up a banquet in the main hall, closed the door, and drove away the servants who were waiting for them."
Cai Changyue, a centurion of the Imperial City Department, rushed in from outside, knelt on one knee, and reported the movements of Prince Beijing.
King Zhou Chong of Wei turned over on the bed and waved his hand.
"Got it. Just keep an eye on it secretly. No need to make it public. Contact the people in the Imperial City Department in the city and make sure to know the situation around the county city and the movements in Yangping. In particular, report to Wei Taishou of Shizhou as soon as there is any movement."
"Yes, Your Majesty, I understand. It was the officials in the city government who had a secret discussion with Prince Beijing."
Cai Changyue hesitated and reminded the prince that these officials were together with Prince Beijing and no one knew what they were discussing, so he must be on guard.
"Don't worry, right now we just need to defend the cities in Xihe County. Even if they have a good plan, losing the city will be a serious crime."
"Yes, I understand."
Cai Changyue nodded, took the order and left. Looking at the prince lying on the bed, he actually thought of joining the army. Perhaps the King of Wei had a better chance. But thinking carefully, the King of Jin and the King of Chu were not easy to deal with, especially Marquis Luo Yun, who had no intention of this. If Marquis Luo Yun supported any prince, the position of the crown prince would have been decided long ago.
Unfortunately, perhaps these were his chances. When they reached the door, the imperial guards had already surrounded the yard. They had no choice but to go and arrange people first. He sighed softly and then walked out of the East Courtyard.
Perhaps because the army's entry into the city made a lot of noise, the entire Xihe County market was much quieter than usual, especially the merchants in the Chamber of Commerce and the garrisons of the sects. Many leaders had solemn expressions when they heard the news. It was said that a storm was about to come. Beijing King Shui Rong led his troops to come. It seemed that the court and the White Lotus Sect were preparing to have a fight in Xihe County. In this way, all the sects, even the bandits and mountain gates, would be involved. It was an unexpected disaster.
At the entrance of Dongshifang Street, there is a restaurant and a house.
The Tiger Roar Sect's elder Liang Cheng stood on the top of the restaurant, looking at the soldiers passing by the street. They looked fierce and obviously not local soldiers. He was trying to identify where these soldiers came from when he heard the voices of his disciples behind him.
"Elder Liang, I have found out that this morning, the King of Beijing and the King of Wei led an army of more than 20,000 into the city. They have now taken over the main camp army and the garrison army in the city. The officers and soldiers guarding the city have also been replaced. I have found out that these soldiers are under the command of Yun Guang, the governor of Chang'an County."
The disciples of the Tiger Roar Sect behind him were panting heavily, and it seemed that they had been running a lot.
Liang Cheng rubbed his chin, somewhat puzzled. No, that was not right. The Prince of Beijing was going to lead 20,000 soldiers into the city. The news from the capital was that the Prince of Beijing was heading south, and the 20,000 soldiers of Qi Yun, the governor of Ping'an Prefecture, would follow him south. Now with the addition of Yun Guang's troops, there would be 40,000 people, including the troops in the county city. Although they were young and strong, they were all there after all.
I really underestimated Prince Beijing. He is indeed a wise king who can easily gather tens of thousands of troops. No wonder the court is wary of him.
"By the way, does the Sect Master have any instructions?"
"Replying to the elder, the leader of the sect did not give any instructions in the south. He just ordered to collect the people from outside the mountain sect, and the disciples were not allowed to leave the mountain at will. In addition, the people of the White Lotus Sect were lobbying everywhere, causing a big uproar in the martial arts world. Many people in the martial arts world gathered in Yangping. I don't know why."
The disciple of the Tiger Roar Sect who delivered the message was puzzled. In the current chaotic situation, where there is no time to escape, why would so many heroes of the martial arts world go to Yangping?
"Hmph, you don't know how to live or die. You gathered in Yangping. I heard that the Iron Palm Gang and Qingfeng Village are conspiring together to hold a hero conference in Qingfeng Village. You are a bunch of idiots. The war is imminent. Whoever gets involved will be killed. If you show off like this now, the consequences will be unpredictable."
Elder Liang couldn't help but sigh. In the past few days, there were obviously more people in the city. According to his experience, there were many people from the White Lotus Sect among them. Even here, he received many letters from the White Lotus Sect. They were nothing more than some grandiose nonsense. If they really had the ability, they would have fought to the county city long ago. Why were they blocked in Shizhou for so many days?
"Well, Elder, how shall we wait?"
The disciples behind him were somewhat confused. There were also many disciples stationed in the city. They didn't know whether they needed to return to the mountain.
"Well, bring the visiting card tonight, and then prepare the generous gifts. Also, count the food and grass in the South City warehouse, and then take these and send them to Prince Beijing. Just send them but don't enter the palace."
Liang Cheng's eyes flickered. Since the troops of Prince Beijing had arrived, they could use this city to stop the White Lotus Sect. In this case, it would be better to send a visiting card as soon as possible. I think the leader of the sect would agree.
"Yes, elder."
The disciples behind him clasped their fists and went out to make arrangements, leaving only Elder Liang standing alone on the attic, looking at the government troops that had already gone far away.
at the same time,
The other sects also made the same move. People from the Lingyun Pavilion and Xuanbing Palace also came out from all directions, connecting with each other in the same way. This move attracted all the forces in the county city.
(End of this chapter)