Han Shizu

Chapter 1714 The People Are Suffering

After making some simple explanations, Liu Fang got up and wanted to leave, ready to return to the barracks. He insisted on his habit, but Wu Ping hesitated for a while, and still took the initiative to call out: "Your Majesty!"

"What else is there?" Liu Fang looked at him suspiciously.

Wu Ping cupped his hands: "Please also move to Beiguan, Your Majesty!"

Winter inevitably gives people a gloomy and gloomy feeling, especially when there are patches of dark clouds floating in the sky, the sky and the earth are even more shrouded in gray tones.

Above Guanbao, right at the mouth of the wind, the north wind howls and hums, and the wall made of bluestone and loess gives people a sense of solidity, which is a strong key to the pass.

A few pots of charcoal fires are burning. Although the north wind is strong, it can't blow out the swaying flames. In the face of bad weather, shutting up the guards seems to be hard work. After all, the heat released by the charcoal fires can't play much role in keeping out the cold. However, at this moment, everyone straightened their chests, showing a look of dedication, because His Royal Highness Zhao Wang went to the city in person.

Of course, Liu Fang didn't come here to inspect the defense and military appearance. The cold winter wind was raging to his heart's content, his temples were fluttering, and his robes were fluttering. Liu Fang watched the scene outside Guideburg with a stern expression.

Under the freezing weather, the traces of the war seemed to be solidified and faintly visible. Of course, due to the discipline of the battlefield, there were no corpses left everywhere, and they were all cleaned up.

Guide Road was opened wide enough to allow large vehicles to pass through. In front of the fort, along the mountain plateau, there was an open space, but now, it is occupied by dense crowds.

There are men and women, old and young, sitting or lying down. It is hard to tell how many people there are, but it looks quite "spectacular".The strong ones hugged their swords, and the weak ones slept with their arms attached. Without exception, they were all shivering in the cold wind.Some people even leaned against the wall of the fort, hoping that the firelight on the fort would dispel some of the chill, even if it seemed insignificant.

Needless to say, these people outside Guide Fort are all refugees fleeing south from the war.Although the Yanzhou rebellion broke out only one month ago, the civil order in Yanzhou has completely collapsed. During the chaos, everyone's bottom line has been reduced to the lowest level, and everyone's first goal is only the word "survival".

For ordinary people in Yanzhou, the winter of the 21st year of Kaibao was extremely cruel, and they had no choice in the face of rebellion.

Either they were coerced into the rebel army, or they were plundered and killed, and those who really didn't want to join the rebels could only seek refuge for self-protection, or hide in the mountains, or flock to the city to hope for protection from the government.

However, Yanzhou only has two cities, Dingbian and Yanchi, with limited carrying capacity. The general Qianshou is not qualified to enter a safe city, and after taking in a wave of refugees, they refused to open the city.

Even so, there are still a large number of Yanzhou people who rely on the second city. Even if they cannot enter the city, they are relatively safe outside the city. At least it is better than diaspora civilians serving as fish for the rebels. The second city of Yanchi and Dingbian is like a city in winter The glimmer of a firefly brings me little hope.

Of course, not everyone chooses to seek asylum in the second city of Yanchi in Dingbian. Yanzhou is already extremely unsafe, and many people have to choose to leave this war-torn place with their families. Guidedao is a road of hope. , but it is also a difficult journey.

They brought the old and the young, dragged their families, and even though the distance was not too far, they were always in danger, so the Yanzhou government army, under the action of Wang Xuanzhen and others, drew the attention of the rebel army a little, so they gave them Strive for some chances of survival.

But even so, those who fled south all the way to Guide Fort were out of ten. However, when they arrived at Guide Fort, the way to survive was closed by the government. They were full of hope and almost turned into despair.

Under the strict order from above, Wuping, the town general, did not dare to switch and let them go. Instead, he closed the door tightly and waited for it, even guarding against these refugees.

Regarding the strategy of blocking Yulin, the government and army around Yulin implemented it very resolutely. Not to mention the rebels, even refugees did not allow one person or one animal to pass through.

Of course, there are many factors involved, not only the influence of the imperial court's strategy of suppressing thieves, but also local protectionism. Do your best to avoid becoming the "beggar-thy-neighbor" neighbor. If you face a threat, you must resolutely eliminate it. In terms of protecting the board, the bureaucrats of the big man can often explode with strong fighting power.

As far as Wu Ping, the town general of Guide Fort, although he felt pity for those refugees, he didn't dare to act rashly.

As a town general, his most fundamental task is to guard the pass castle. Even if there is no order from above, he will choose to strictly guard the pass city.However, in the past, it was because Guildberg was not strong enough, and there was no one who could really make a decision, or even be willing to make a decision.

Now, King Zhao Liu Fang has personally led the army and is about to enter Yulin to suppress the rebellion. Wu Ping feels that he can make a report on the refugee issue. This is his last effort. Will, what can I do?Even if he is now promoted to lieutenant general, he is still penniless.

On the fort, Liu Fang stood upright like a Songyue, looking down at the unavoidable things in front of the fort, his face was expressionless, but the more he was like this, the more he could feel the dignified meaning.

After a while, Liu Fang asked Wu Ping, "How many refugees are there outside the fort? How long have you been in Guide Fort?"

Wu Ping didn't dare to be negligent, and immediately replied: "My lord, there were only three hundred people at first, but after the last general defeated the rebels, they came even more violently. .”

"Just let them suffer outside the castle?" Liu Fang said softly.

Hearing this, a trace of fear flashed across Wu Ping's face, and he replied with some trepidation: "Your Majesty, it's not that the last general will not rescue you. There are too many refugees. In order to avoid accidents in Guancheng, you have to turn a blind eye. The last general also sent people out of the city before. , added some grain and charcoal fire, but it was not enough, and it caused looting and chaos, and there were a lot of casualties, so I dare not act rashly."

Seeing that Wu Ping was a little nervous, Liu Fang shook his head and comforted him, "I'm not blaming you, you did a good job, you knew the seriousness, and you did your duty."

"Your Majesty is wise!" Hearing this, Wu Ping breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly said.

At this time, Liu Fang finally showed some ordinary expression, and said with a wry smile: "If I am wise, I should know how to solve this refugee issue!"

Obviously, Liu Fang is also somewhat conflicted about this matter.The meaning of the imperial court is very clear, to completely block Yulin, and to control the chaos within Yulin by any means. In terms of specific implementation, it will not care about anything. The current situation is urgent, and one size fits all is the most effective and efficient way .

Take the thousands of refugees under Guideburg as an example, what if there are traitors among them?This is not easily discernible.And Liu Fang, as the commander in charge of suppressing thieves and suppressing the rebellion, his task is to wipe out the rebels in Yulin and eliminate the thieves, so he has no more time and energy to focus on this matter.

On the other hand, if something goes wrong and the thieves are allowed to infiltrate the customs, who will bear the responsibility.Guannei Road is the base camp of Yulin's anti-rebellion, and there must be no problems. In the past month, there have been riots in more than one place, and the prison camp in Guannei is the hardest hit area. The instigation is obviously impossible.

Under such circumstances, the policy of closing the customs and blocking obstacles needs to be implemented even more resolutely. According to the policy, people and animals in Yulin are not allowed to leave, and all kinds of materials outside the customs are not allowed to enter.

In the past, many living supplies in Yulin needed to be imported from other prefectures. Once this plan came out, although the rebels would be impoverished, the people of Yulin would also suffer.

Liu Fang also has a clear understanding of this point, but this price is nothing in the eyes of the court that has unified the understanding early. It is resolute, thorough, cruel and ruthless. This is the basic attitude towards the Yulin rebellion.

But there is one thing to say, after all, Liu Fang is not a political animal. There is still a trace of passion in his heart. He loves the officers and soldiers, hates the traitors, and has compassion for the common people, especially when he sees the refugees outside Guide Fort waiting to be fed.

The cold wave is coming, struggling in the ice and snow, many people have died of freezing and starvation.Of course Liu Fang knew that most of these thousands of people were definitely not so-called traitors or spies, and those who managed to get to Guildburg through hardships and dangers could at least prove that they did not want to be with traitors.

However, the harsh policy of the imperial court seemed to disappoint them, even to despair.

(End of this chapter)