Han family achievements

Chapter 595 The imperial commander’s personal expedition
March.

There is still a cold wind blowing from the northwest, and the weather is freezing cold.

Huang Zhong in Hanzhong was also busy as he had to defend and send troops to suppress bandits everywhere.

The rebellion in Liang Province had become a fire and water, spreading everywhere, even endangering the three prefectures and stirring up trouble in Luoyang.

Standing on the top of the city wall, Huang Zhong's face was as cold as ice, and he asked in a deep voice: "Are you sure it's Qiang people?"

The guard behind him said, "Yes. According to the news from the Imperial City, the second young master is on his way here in response to the imperial order."

Huang Zhong's expression became more serious. He looked towards the Hexi Corridor, feeling uneasy, and asked, "Is Xiahou Yuan still unable to escape?"

The guard quietly waved his hand, dismissed the other guards, stepped forward and whispered: "Yes. Xiahou Yuan sent a message saying that he has quelled more than 20 rebellious tribes such as Di and Qiang, and killed at least 100,000 people, but the rebellion has never been completely wiped out. He believes that it is not possible to continue like this, and he must fight a decisive battle with the rebels."

Huang Zhong remained calm and said, "How can we fight to the end? Liangzhou is a vast and long land with a winding path of more than 2,000 miles. If the rebels are unwilling to fight to the end, what can we do?"

The guards didn't dare to respond.

The land of Xiliang is not only a place where the Han and the Hu people live together, but also has a complex geography and is extremely vast. If the rebels use the tactic of procrastination, the government troops will not be able to chase the rebels for thousands of miles and fight a decisive battle in the desert Gobi as they did during the reign of Emperor Wu.

——The national strength cannot sustain it.

"Report to the General of the Central Army, the second young master of the Imperial City has arrived." A captain came up hurriedly and said.

Huang Zhong turned around and said, "Please come in."

Regarding the 'Second Young Master', the military personnel have a tacit consensus - the Second Young Master is a wealthy and noble man.

Huangfu Jian, wearing a long coat and formal official uniform, holding a sword, came hurriedly, not bothering to salute, and said politely, "The news from Shu is that Liu Zhang has sent troops out of Shu."

Huang Zhong raised his hand, then suddenly retracted it and asked in a deep voice, "Where is it?"

Huangfu Jian shook his head and said, "It's very secret. I have been looking for it for a long time but couldn't find it. The news said that there may be 10,000 people."

Huang Zhong turned his head and looked towards the southwest, his face solemn, and said: "If you want to leave Shu, you can only go out from Jiange and go through Yangping Pass. I have been watching. If 10,000 people come out quietly, I can't fail to notice it."

Huangfu Jianchang stood beside him and said, "There are many possibilities, but Liu Zhang's intention of sending troops out of Shu at this time is self-evident. Your Majesty is very angry, and the Grand Marshal's Office has formulated a new military strategy."

There is no doubt that Liu Zhang sent troops out of Shu to help the Three Qiang and resist the imperial court.

In Cao Cao's words, it is a last-ditch struggle to survive.

This was a huge provocation to the Han Dynasty court. Not only was the Emperor furious, but the government and the public could not tolerate it either.

Huang Zhong withdrew his gaze, pondered for a while, and said, "A new military strategy? The Three Qiang have been operating in Liangzhou for many years. The terrain is complex and stretches for thousands of miles. Unless the government army goes deep into the hinterland, it will be dragged down. The court cannot spend countless money and food to fight a war of attrition."

The Three Qiang were not stupid and it was impossible for them to engage in a head-on battle with the imperial court again. If they avoided fighting, the imperial court would be caught in a dilemma.

Huangfu Jianchang said: "After many discussions, the Grand Marshal's Mansion decided to change tactics, abandon the baggage and advance with light troops."

Huang Zhong was also a man who was familiar with military books. Upon hearing this, he immediately asked, "A large detour?"

Huangfu Jianchang said: "The Grand Marshal will probably send someone to deliver the detailed military strategy soon, or maybe the Grand Marshal or the Right Marshal will come in person."

Huang Zhong understood, and the pressure in his heart suddenly increased.

During the reign of Emperor Wu, in order to conquer the Huns, the army went deep into the desert and Gobi. In order to prevent the Huns from avoiding a fight, the army often adopted tactics of large-scale encirclement and detour.

This kind of tactics has extremely high logistical requirements. Just for war horses, at least 100,000 horses must be prepared, not to mention other things!

The imperial court could grit its teeth and come up with 100,000 war horses, but it would definitely not agree to use them to conquer the Three Qiangs.

The 'New Deal' has begun to show results, and it is a critical moment to restore people's livelihood. Once forced conscription is carried out, it will inevitably cause great damage to the vitality, which is totally not worth it!

Huangfu Jianchang said nothing more. He stroked his chin and looked in the direction of Jiange.

The road to Shu is difficult, and it cannot be explained in a few words. In many places, it is like one man guarding the pass against ten thousand. If there is no internal support, it is simply impossible to attack by force alone.

The second young master is considering whether to take a trip.

However, that was the territory of the Huangmen Beisi Prison. He could interfere, but if he went there in person, there might be some trouble.

The responsibilities of the Huangmen Beisi Prison and the Imperial City Prefecture were clearly divided, but they overlapped in many places, making it difficult to clearly distinguish them.

Over the years, the Second Young Master and the Noble Lady Zuo have always had a tacit understanding that they would not easily step into each other's "territory".

"Report!"

Suddenly, a soldier came running up to Huang Zhong, extremely anxious, and knelt on one knee, saying, "Urgent report from Jicheng, Jicheng has been lost, the governor of Jicheng disobeyed his oath and refused to surrender, and died in battle for his country."

Huang Zhong's face suddenly changed and his breathing became faster.

Huangfu Jianchang seemed to think of the emperor in Luoyang City. He narrowed his eyes and said softly, "General Huang, prepare to mobilize the troops."

Huang Zhong took a deep breath, calmed his mind, and said, "Aren't you waiting for the order from the Grand Marshal's Mansion?"

Huangfu Jian snorted coldly and said, "We have to wait, but I don't know whether we are waiting for the order from the Grand Marshal's Mansion or for His Majesty to lead the army in person."

Huang Zhong's expression changed again and again, and he said, "Second Master, Your Majesty, are you going to lead the army in person?"

Huangfu Jian looked at Jicheng from afar, his face as hard as iron, and said, "Han Sui has already angered Your Majesty by detaining Zhong Pushe. Now that he has broken through Jicheng and killed the prefect, Your Majesty will surely be furious!" People in the court and the public did not want the Emperor to lead the army in person, and Huang Zhong, as a general, did not want that either.

But he had no choice but to hope or not.

"Okay. I'll call up the troops right now."

Huang Zhong thought for a while and said, "I will send another letter to Xiahou Yuan and others, ordering them to speed up their advance, escape as soon as possible, and prepare to assemble."

Huangfu Jian glanced at Huang Zhong and said, "I have another piece of news for you. The money and grain in the granaries of various places are being transported to Hanzhong."

Huang Zhong understood instantly, nodded heavily, and said, "Thank you for your advice, Second Young Master."

Huangfu Jianchang didn't say anything more, but said with a headache: "I have tried many methods, but I can't save Zhong Pushe. I hope nothing will happen."

Zhong Yao was the Zuo Pushe of the Shangshu Tai, a real court minister second only to the prime minister. He was extremely important to the Han Dynasty and no mistakes could be made!

Luoyang City.

In March, there was another light snow in Sili. The snow melted as soon as it hit the ground, but the cold was biting and more unbearable than the cold winter.

Liu Bian came out of the Grand Marshal's Mansion with his hands waving, walked through the Jiade Hall, and headed towards the Secretariat.

In the small conference room of the Shangshu Terrace, Xun Yu, Xun You, Wang Lang, Chen Gong, Huangfu Jianshou and others were already seated.

Liu Bian came in, took off his cloak, waved his hand, and said, "Stop the formalities, just talk."

Xun Yu and the others waited until Liu Bian sat down before they looked at each other. Wang Lang spoke up and said, "Your Majesty, these are just three Qiang tribes. There is no need for Your Majesty to lead the army in person..."

Liu Bian interrupted him and said, "The emperor will lead the army in person, the crown prince will supervise the country, and the Grand Marshal and the Right Marshal will accompany him. This has already been decided and there is no need to discuss it further."

Wang Lang's lips moved, but he didn't dare to resist, and glanced at Xun Yu secretly.

Xun Yu thought for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, I think you are still a little anxious."

Liu Bian took the teacup handed over by Pan Yin and said, "I am a little anxious, but I will accomplish my goal in one go to save myself the trouble later."

Wang Lang, Chen Gong and others were puzzled when they heard this.

Huangfu Jianshou, on the other hand, had a clear mind and remained silent.

Liu Bian drank a sip of tea, looked at the expressions of Wang Lang and others, and said: "The warehouse in Xiangyang has been opened, and all the money and grain have been sent to Guan Yu."

There were no fools present. Wang Lang woke up instantly and asked in a lost voice: "Your Majesty, are you going to recapture Yizhou in one fell swoop?"

Liu Bian held the teacup and said with a smile: "The atmosphere is here."

Wang Lang subconsciously wanted to object, but then he thought of the recent transfer of Taicang. Thinking about it carefully, such a large amount of money and grain was indeed not only used to pacify Liangzhou but also to provide relief to Liangzhou.

It is obvious that the Majesty before him, Xun Yu, and Xun Yu and Cao Cao have already made a decision and made up their minds.

Wang Lang changed the subject abruptly, saying, "Your Majesty, is it inappropriate for the Crown Prince to be the regent? After all, the Crown Prince is still young."

"Thirteen years old,"

Liu Bian held the teacup, kept smiling, and said: "Besides, don't we have the Prime Minister and the other ministers? There is no need to worry too much."

Wang Lang hesitated to speak and finally did not say anything.

It is obvious that major state affairs are basically controlled by His Majesty, the Prime Minister, and the Grand Marshal. Even the Shangshu find it difficult to influence them, and even whether they can participate in them is a choice.

Xun Yu, Xun You, Huangfu Jianshou and others did not say much - it had already been decided.

Liu Bian took in everyone's expressions, took another sip of tea slowly, and said, "Before I leave Beijing, I have three things to say."

Xun Yu, Xun You and others bowed their heads, pretending to listen to the holy teachings.

"First things first,"

Liu Bian restrained his smile and said, "The naturalization of Yangzhou and Jiaozhou must be further promoted. Officials and nobles who plot treason or join the rebellion must be severely investigated and punished. Those with serious crimes will have their property confiscated and their clan exterminated; those with minor crimes will have their entire clan sent to the frontier without mercy! I know that the nobles have been intermarried for hundreds of years, and they are of the same blood and have complicated relationships. I hope that at this time, the nobles in the court and the public can distinguish right from wrong and distinguish between evil and treason."

"We obey your order." Xun Yu, Xun You, Wang Lang and others looked tense and raised their hands and bowed in response.

The Han Dynasty aristocratic family can be traced back to at least two or three hundred years, and at most even to the Qin Dynasty, the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. Over the hundreds of years, they have branched out, formed intermarriages, and have close and complex relationships.

It’s not that no one came to them to plead for mercy, and it wasn’t just one or two people.

"The second thing,"

Liu Bian's voice became increasingly calm, and he said, "Recently, some people have expressed different opinions on the 'New Deal', especially those involving land and 'separation of government and military'. Some local nobles, county governors, and county magistrates have been secretly disobeying the New Deal and have returned to their old ways."

Xun Yu, Xun You and others lowered their heads, looked tense, and said nothing.

In recent years, the imperial court has invested a large amount of money and grain to reclaim land and settle the people, and to restore people's livelihood. The power of officials at all levels has increased greatly. Not only has corruption been rampant, but there has also been growing dissatisfaction with the various restrictions under the "New Deal", and voices calling for the restoration of the "old system" have been heard one after another.

Liu Bian only touched upon the subject briefly and did not go into depth. He continued, "Third, it is the further reform of the court's regulations. The Secretariat should come up with new regulations for the official system, land, taxes, population, etc. It should clarify the advantages and eliminate the disadvantages, and make it comprehensive, thorough and detailed."

(End of this chapter)