Guide to Traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty.

Chapter 343 0338 [The head floating in the tower]

On the second day of living in the mansion, Wu Tong felt something was wrong, he seemed to be under house arrest.

This guy wanted to go out, but was beaten by the gatekeeper.

When Zhu Ming heard the news, he simply stopped pretending and ordered Wu Tong to be tied up, and all the food and servants were removed.

For the next half a month or so, every time a bandit leader entered the city, he would be coaxed into that mansion, where he would be detained like a bundle of zongzi.

"All here?" Zhu Ming asked.

Bai Chongwu replied: "Not only Wu Tong's thieves all went to the city to throw themselves into the net, but two more bandits from the mountain came. It is said that they got the news and came to conspire with each other to enjoy wealth."

"It's an unexpected surprise," Zhu Ming asked with a smile, "What's the reputation of those two groups of bandits?"

Bai Chongwu said: "It's just an ordinary bandit."

"Then let's stay. It's not too late to kill if you don't obey the military regulations." Zhu Ming decided to accept it.

Zhu Ming has no obsession with morals and cleanliness, Zhang Guangdao is a bandit, and he has many lives in his hands, why don't he accept them and become a general?

Wu Tong's gang went too far, even killing the elderly and children, even robbing the poor at the bottom, and raping even pretty women.He also went from house to house to coerce young and strong people, and those who refused to follow the thieves slaughtered the whole family, and drove the new entrants to kill people, killing corpses all over the ground inside and outside the city of Lizhou.

Bai Chongwu reminded: "There are nearly 3000 thieves outside the city, some of whom seem to be new adherents, and did not participate in the massacre of the city."

Zhu Ming said: "Confiscate their weapons first, and then say that we will replace them with better ones. We will arrest them all and then carefully screen them. The newly attached people are ordered to return to their hometowns, and all the big and small leaders are executed. The rest...sent to mining!"

Lizhou also has iron mines, and the conditions are better than Jinzhou. In the Southern Song Dynasty, Shaoxing Supervision cast iron coins were opened in Lizhou.

Now that the population of Lizhou has been reduced sharply, there is a shortage of labor to mine iron ore.

Bai Chongwu said: "These are all young and strong. If they get together to mine, there may be troubles."

"How can there be so much trouble?" Zhu Ming said, "It is said that after five years of mining, they can be released home. Then set a system and divide these people into several groups. If you obey the discipline, perform well, and don't make trouble for half a year, the whole group can get three months off. If you don't make trouble for one year, the whole group can get seven months off.

"The general's clever plan." Bai Chongwu said with a smile.

Those low-level minions, even though their hands were bloody, Zhu Ming never thought of killing them all.

Otherwise, there will be captives who escaped back in Lizhou City, and their hands are also covered in blood. Do you want to find them all and execute them?

Miners have been working for several years. If they have not caused troubles, it means that they have changed their ways.And he must be sick from exhaustion, and it is normal to die of illness and exhaustion in the mine, which is already a redemption.

I have to tell the supervisor of the mine to take it easy, and let the miners see hope of survival.

"Go to work." Zhu Ming said.

Bai Chongwu led his troops to the barracks outside the city, deliberately stacking some high-quality weapons in a conspicuous place.

Immediately he ordered the more than 2000 thieves to gather, and Bai Chongwu yelled and scolded: "Hurry up, take all the broken copper and iron in your hands to the open space in front of you and put them away. General Zhu said, you are all elite soldiers who have seen blood, and you must change into the best weapons!"

The thieves were overjoyed when they heard this, and rushed to hand over their weapons.

Bai Chongwu said again: "Go back and line up, and the big and small leaders will step forward and lead the weapons!"

Even the thieves, who only have a few people in their hands, feel that they belong to the leader and squeeze forward happily.

Bai Chongwu continued: "Good weapons are not enough. Those who have never killed anyone should retreat to the back by themselves. Don't mix with good men and pretend to be elite soldiers!"

The soldiers rushed to spread the message among the thieves, and shouted repeatedly for a long time, but no one was willing to retreat, and they all wanted to be good soldiers and get good weapons.

"Find out the idiots who haven't killed anyone before, and don't let them steal good weapons!" Bai Chongwu ordered again.

The thieves began to "clean up the door" and automatically pushed and identified the idiots.

Those who were cleaned up insisted on bragging about how many people they had killed, and even got red-faced because of it, and finally had to admit the fact that they were softies.

Bai Chongwu, an old official for many years, has his own way of handling affairs. With just a few words, he can accurately identify the leader of the bandits, his minions, and the newly attached ones.

"The boss is here to get the weapons!" Bai Chongwu said again.

Twenty or thirty bandit leaders walked forward, talking and laughing with each other.

Bai Chongwu waved his hand, and the soldiers behind him rushed forward, stabbing the leaders with their guns.

In half a minute, they all collapsed, dying with regret.

"Run!" The rest of the thieves shouted in horror.

Bai Chongwu shouted: "Kneel down and don't kill!"

"Kneel down and don't kill! Kneel down and don't kill!" More soldiers surrounded them, blocking all directions.

After stabbing more than ten unlucky people to death, finally no one escaped anymore, and all of them fell to their knees on the ground.

……

"Dang Dang Dang Dang!"

"General Zhu wants to kill Wu Tong, so we all go out of the city to watch the excitement!"

The temporarily appointed subordinate staff beat gongs and shouted along the street.

Hearing that the demon Wu Tong was going to be executed, the surviving people in Zhoucheng took to the streets to inquire about the situation, and then left the city in groups to watch the ceremony.

Including Wu Tong, the bandit leaders were bound and escorted to the execution ground.

Someone yelled at him, angrily accusing Zhu Ming of turning back on what he said.

Some people cried and begged for mercy, and were so frightened that they lost control of their bladder and bowels.

When he arrived at the open space outside the city, Bai Chongwu also brought the dead leader's body.

Standing on the city tower, Zhu Ming shouted: "I rebelled to do justice for the heavens, to let the people of the world live a better life, not to be a thief and kill innocent people indiscriminately. Those bastards outside the city, who murdered, robbed, and raped women, did all sorts of crimes. Behead them all! Anyone who dares to do it again, this is the end!"

This is not only for the common people but also for the whole army, especially the two bandit leaders who came here uninvited.

Wu Tong raised his neck and roared angrily: "My surname is Zhu, you don't count what you say, what a hero you are!"

Ju Ming didn't bother to answer.

Wu Tong continued to yell: "My surname is Zhu, you will die badly, and I will never let you go even if I am a ghost! Straight mother thief, grandpa will be a good man again after 18 years..."

"Execution!" Zhu Ming ordered.

With a wave of the commanding flag from the tower, the executioners immediately set to work.

In the crowd of countless people, one leader asked to beheaded one after another.

Together with those leaders, dozens of heads were hung on the tower to dry.

The people cheered when they saw it, and some thought of their dead relatives, lying on the ground and crying loudly.

There were also those who participated in the massacre, who were captured by officers and soldiers and fled back to the city. At this moment, they were trembling with fright, for fear that they would also be held accountable for their crimes.

Wu Kangguo looked at those heads fluttering in the wind, and suddenly felt that Zhu Ming could accomplish something, at least there would be no problem in separatist Sichuan.

Thinking about it carefully, I found that I didn't have much Song Lu to eat, and my talent was buried to be the head of the county school. It seems that it is not too outrageous to change jobs now.

Hesitantly following Zhu Ming back to the state office, he hesitated to speak for several times, until he stepped into the gate of the state office, Wu Kangguo finally gritted his teeth and knelt down: "Wu Kangguo, Jinshi of Anzhou, pay homage to Duke Ming!"

Zhu Ming was stunned for a moment, he didn't expect this person to really work, and the speed was so fast.

This is really unexpected, but within reason.

It is not impossible for a "poor" Jinshi with no background, no family encumbrance, and a bleak official career to be willing to become a thief.

"Please hurry up, there is no need to be too polite." Zhu Ming quickly helped him, this is the first Jinshi under him.

The job arrangement has not changed, and Wu Kangguo is still appointed as the magistrate of Zhaohua County, and he will be promoted after he is familiar with government affairs.

What about Jinshi?
With no work experience, it's not as easy to use as Fatty Zheng and Bai Erlang.

For the next half month, Ju Ming has been training troops in Lizhou, and by the way appeases the local people.

Wenzhou surrendered without a fight.

Wenzhou and Lizhou are almost one county in the entire prefecture, and the surrounding land is full of barbarians.

And it can only contact Lizhou, and the rest of the directions are all mountains.

What if you don't surrender?Fleeing into the mountains to entertain the Qiang people?

But it is said that Deng Chun and Li Jinyi led five thousand elites, and under the guidance of Shi Yuangong, they came to Jiameng County through Jiameng Pass.

After a short rest outside the city, some men who carried food (useful after entering the mountains) were called together, and then they continued to march south.

The soldiers traveled by land along the river, and the ships followed with food.

He went all the way to the location of Jiangkou Town in the later generation, and finally encountered Zhaibao to stop him.

Shi Yuangong smiled and said: "I am very familiar with the guard of this village. He is under the inspection of the Xiang Army Station. I even gave him some paper."

Deng Chun said: "Mr. Shi has traveled many places, and I have accompanied Mr. Shi on some roads to Shu."

At some point Shi Yuangong got a feather fan, waving the fan, walked up the mountain, and headed for the fort alone.

How much loyalty can a guy who often collects favor fees and quietly lets smugglers cross the border be loyal to the Song court?
Even Xiaobing knew Shi Yuangong, and invited him into the village with great enthusiasm.

Shi Yuangong clasped his feather fan and cupped his fists: "Long time no see, inspector Tang."

Inspector Tang said in shock: "Mr. Shi has done a great job!"

Shi Yuangong said: "Since I have brought troops here, since the rebels have occupied Lizhou, will the Tang inspectors still use their arms as chariots?"

Tang Xunjian said: "I am trying to follow the example of Mr. Zhu, but I am suffering from no connections."

"This matter is easy," Shi Yuangong said, "Leave the soldiers, and you bring a few confidants, and take my handwriting, and go to Lizhou to meet General Zhu."

Tang inspector said gratefully: "Thank you Mr. Shi for your support!"

Tang Xunjian took his confidants and went back on a grain ship.

Shi Yuangong, Deng Chun, and Li Jinyi brought soldiers, civilian husbands and food, and walked across the mountains to Su Xiaodao.

There is no way to bring more food, and the mountain road is not easy to walk.

In addition to the civilian husbands carrying food, the soldiers themselves also had to carry food.

It is not difficult to carry a hundred catties, but it is difficult to carry a hundred catties and climb mountains.

The straight-line distance of the Laisu Trail is only [-] miles, and it takes more than a hundred miles to walk through the mountains with seven bends and eight turns, and it takes more than half a month to walk through the mountains with a heavy load.

When leaving the mountain, more than half of the food had been consumed.

The back road of Jianmen Pass is not easy to detour. Under normal circumstances, one must first capture Jiameng Pass, then capture Jiameng County, and then capture Jiangkou Zhaibao to reach the starting point of Laisu Trail.

After entering the mountain, the food is completely on the back of the people, and each farmer will eat half of the food carried by himself.

Shi Yuangong was sore and weak, but he still shook his feather fan and said, "Twenty miles to the north is Jianmen Pass. Forty miles to the south is Jianzhou City (Pu'an Town). Where are the two generals going to fight?"

"Since we are fighting in Jianzhou, let's get some food first." Deng Chun said without hesitation.

Li Jinyi asked: "If Jianzhou City is prepared and cannot be taken in a hurry, which other counties are closest?"

Shi Yuangong said: "Two days to the southwest, you can go to Wulian County. Two and a half days to the northwest, you can go to Yinping County (Yinping County in the Song Dynasty is in Jianzhou, not the Yinping where Deng Ai smuggled). "

Li Jinyi said: "If Jianzhou can't be fought, then go to Yinping County with a feint shot!"

Deng Chun thought about it carefully, nodded and said: "Good idea, let the counties in Jianzhou be turned upside down!"

(End of this chapter)