Fenghou

Chapter 305
What did Zhang Xiao think about the strange actions of the puppet Qi army?
Zhang Xiao pondered for a long time, then slowly said: "Xiaozhi has a bold idea, but I'm not sure!"

"Join the army, just say it!"

"My humble guess is that the puppet Qi army is about to retreat, and the army and the people are mixed together to retreat!"

Chen Qing frowned, "You mean, the spread of rumors and the plague will force the common people to retreat together?"

"It should be like this. If I'm not wrong, they will definitely spread rumors. The plague broke out everywhere, only Xiangyang did not, so the people in the city must have fled to Xiangyang."

Chen Qing nodded, "It's very possible!"

Yang Zaixing next to him was puzzled and said: "The army is as chaotic as the army, how can we ensure that the soldiers will retreat to Xiangyang honestly?"

Zhang Xiao laughed, "I guess the soldiers haven't received their salaries for several months. If they want to get their salaries, they have to go to Xiangyang, or they have to give up. In other words, Xiangyang has the antidote to the plague. This move is even more ruthless. Guarantee that every soldier will desperately flee to Xiangyang!"

"Joining the army is right. That should be the case. The key is how we can tell the common people from the soldiers. If we throw away our armor and mix among the common people, how can we tell the difference?"

Zhang Xiao shook his head and smiled wryly: "This trick is very vicious. Unless the people are all killed and all the men are killed, the lowly officials can't think of how to tell them apart. The key point is that they are all hungry people. If we don't care, a large number of people will starve to death. But if we Don't worry, we don't have enough troops!"

At this moment, a soldier came rushing to report, "Report to Dutong, the scouts in front have heard the news, the gate of Changshou County is wide open, and countless people are rushing out."

Everyone looked at each other in blank dismay, and they were guessed right, that's what happened!
Everyone looked at Chen Qing, and Chen Qing said helplessly, "Wang Duo led a thousand troops to guard the camp, and everyone else will follow me to see the situation!"

The cavalry assembled quickly, and under the command of Chen Qing, nine thousand cavalry galloped to the north.

Under the extreme threat of the plague, the people in the city broke out with unprecedented efficiency and speed. The four city gates opened wide at the same time, hundreds of thousands of people flocked out, and [-] soldiers were among them. Even Jiang Yanxian Pretending to be a middle-aged scribe, with some books and belongings, and a few followers, he fled towards Xiangyang in a donkey cart.

On the official road, the sky and the ground are full of fleeing people, all hungry, supporting each other, crying loudly, many old people can't walk after fleeing for more than ten miles, sitting on the side of the road, patting their legs and crying, waiting to die.

Chen Qing led [-] cavalry to kill them, and [-]% of the people in the city fled, and the remaining [-]% did not have time to leave the city.

Chen Qing ordered the city gate to be closed and led the cavalry to chase after him. He saw that the official roads and the wilderness were covered with escaped people. The autumn wind was howling and the chill was biting.

At this time, Zhao Xiaoyi came to salute on horseback, "See Dutong!"

"Has the fleeing army been assembled?"

Zhao Xiaoyi shook his head, "All of them broke up and fled in all directions. They were basically mixed with the common people. Without armor and weapons, they couldn't tell the difference."

Chen Qing said helplessly: "You really can't underestimate the capable people in the world, pass on my order, stop chasing!"

The cavalry had to stop their pursuit, and the task was changed to relieve the people and persuade them to return to the city.

It took two full days before hundreds of thousands of people began to return to the city one after another, but in the end only [-]% were persuaded to return, and those with a little condition at home still fled to Xiangyang.

Three days later, Li Gang led the army and supplies to Changshou County to take over the follow-up disaster relief work. Only then was Chen Qing able to escape from Changshou County and lead the army to Jiangling Mansion to rest.

Until this time, both sides had completed their strategic contraction, and the Puppet Qi Army began to consolidate its occupation of Xiangyang Mansion and Deng, Suizhou, and Fangzhou. Dong Xuan sent people to Changshou County to negotiate with Li Gang, and was willing to use all the troops captured in Dengzhou and Xiangyang Mansion. More than [-] Song troops were exchanged for the [-] puppet Qi troops captured in Hanyang.

The two sides began to be in a strategic confrontation, and Li Gang also ordered the governors of various places in Huguang to start recruiting soldiers.

The ship escorting Yang Yao and other bandit generals finally arrived in Lin'an. Although the Song Dynasty was under heavy pressure from the third-line attack, the news that the Dongting Water Bandits had been suppressed made the court rejoice. There are more than [-] mouths of famous thieves and their families.

The beheading of Yang Yao means that the banditry in Dongting Lake has been completely pacified, and it also marks that all the rebel forces in the Song Dynasty have been extinguished. The court can concentrate on restoring people's livelihood, increasing the population, and gradually improving the increasingly embarrassing financial difficulties. .

In the Hall of Mental Cultivation, the Emperor Zhao Gou came to pay his respects to the Empress as usual, and the Empress Dowager Wei said in a cold voice, "The officials seem to be in a good mood today, have you encountered something happy?"

"After reporting back to my mother, Yang Yao, the leader of the bandits who has caused troubles in the Yangtze River and Dongting Lake for several years, has been taken to Lin'an. He was publicly beheaded at noon today, and a poisonous thorn in my son's back was finally pulled out."

"Oh! I've heard some rumors. It's a good thing! Are the officials planning to reward meritorious soldiers?"

"My son has this plan. Thanks to Chen Qing's great contribution, he was able to pull out this poisonous thorn."

"It's Chen Qing again. Ai Jia remembers that he seems to have just been promoted to the capital! Could it be that the officials plan to promote him again?"

Zhao Gou sighed secretly in his heart. He discussed this matter with Qin Hui today, and Qin Hui hinted that he would ask the queen mother for instructions, which made Zhao Gou feel a little upset, but he had no choice. there will be trouble.

"Empress Dowager, my son promised to the civil and military of the Manchu Dynasty in the court meeting that he would exterminate Yang Yaozhe, be promoted to three ranks, and become a prince. If the son does not keep his word, how will he face the world?"

"Chen Qing isn't the only one who killed Yang Yao! With so many generals under their command, is Chen Qing the only one who deserves the credit?"

"Of course other meritorious officers and soldiers should also be rewarded, and the promise of the son-in-law is only given to the chief general."

After a pause, Zhao Gou explained again: "This is the reward offered by my minister last year, not for Chen Qing."

"Then how does the emperor plan to seal him?"

"Follow the promise! You will be named Duke Jing, and you will be promoted to three ranks."

Empress Dowager Wei sneered and said, "What do other generals think about your letter like this? Zhang Jun has fought for twenty years and has made a lot of achievements in battle. He is only a Duke of the state. The same is true for Han Shizhong. Liu Guangshi is even just a Duke of the county. Do you think it is appropriate for the officials to become the Duke of the state at a young age?"

"Mother, you are not joking!"

Empress Dowager Wei was silent, and Zhao Gou said again: "I also know that Chen Qing's promotion is too fast. I can't do anything about the title, but I can be flexible about the official position."

"How to work around?"

"My son said that officials were promoted to three ranks of soldiers, but he didn't say that civil servants were still military generals. My ministers planned to promote military commanders to one rank, and civil servants to two ranks. In fact, they are still fifth rank."

"Then why didn't the officials raise him to three ranks in Honor Officer?"

Zhao Gou was at a loss for words, and said for a while, "Officer Sheng Xun may be ridiculed by the world."

Empress Dowager Wei learned from Qin Hui's wife, Wang Shi, that the officials were going to add officials to Chen Qing, which made her furious. Is her son deliberately against herself?
But Empress Dowager Wei didn't expect that this was the official's promise in the court meeting. No matter how dissatisfied she was, she couldn't help it. She couldn't let the official family lose their trust!
"Forget it, since you are a general, you should be promoted to a military officer! Don't let the court officials laugh at you."

"My son obeys my mother's edict!"

Empress Dowager Wei snorted and said: "Your father often said that meritorious service should be rewarded, and crimes should be punished. The official family can't just reward Chen Qing and not punish him. If Chen Qing commits a crime in the future, the official family will protect him. The Ai family will not agree!"

"My son doesn't dare!"

"Aijia is tired, let's kneel down!"

"The queen mother is resting, and the son is saying goodbye!"

Zhao Gou kowtowed respectfully, got up and left.

In the room, Empress Dowager Wei stared coldly at the teacup on the table, and said to herself: "If you don't believe me, I can't deal with you!"

For the first time, Zhao Gou withstood the pressure of Empress Dowager Wei and fulfilled his promise. In the afternoon, Zhao Gou issued a decree, commending Chen Qing for exterminating Yang Yao's water bandits. .

In addition, Chen Qing's officers and men all received rewards.

(End of this chapter)