Elegy of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 256
  "The Anren Army was disbanded, and its soldiers were distributed to other armies of Longyou, and they were replenished as needed. After an application is made, they will be allocated by the Governor of Longyou."

"Expand the Tianwei Army to [-] people (excluding the Shibao City garrison), and select the best soldiers from the Longyou armies. In principle, priority will be given to the Anren Army and Heyuan Army soldiers.

The military pay of the Tianwei Army will be issued with autumn clothes in addition to spring clothes and winter clothes. Military generals who want to serve in the Tianwei Army must report to the Jiedushi Envoy privately without any instructions from the military envoys. "

"Ge Shuhan is the military envoy of the Tianwei Army, Lun Weizhen is the deputy military envoy of the Tianwei Army, and Gao Xiuyan, the former deputy military envoy of the Heyuan Army, is transferred to the deputy military envoy of the Tianwei Army. Other personnel appointments will not be detailed here."

"On a voluntary basis, each army in Longyou selected fifty people and organized them into a battalion. Gao Xiuyan led the team to Jincheng, Lanzhou, to observe the conditions of the treasury and granary, and to verify the authenticity in public.

After returning, he informed all the armies of the truth and escorted part of the military pay back to Shanzhou. "

"Each army in Longyou must eliminate the old and weak, and then determine the roster based on the actual number of soldiers. If there are any vacancies, they will be reported to the Jiedu Mansion in Longyou, and the Jiedushi will write to the court to make up for the troops.

The eliminated old, weak, sick and disabled people were resettled in Lanzhou for farming and reclamation. "

……

Wang Rao was confused as he read, and in the end he simply remained silent. This notice posted in front of the Yamen of Longyou Jiedu Mansion is incomprehensible in many parts, but it is reasonable in many parts and fully meets the expectations of the frontier generals.

At first glance, it seemed that Fang Chongyong was just following the trend, and did not say that he would kill anyone in the Longyou army to scare the monkeys.

But in fact, he disbanded the Anren Army, "expanded" the Tianwei Army, and introduced the Lun clan from Liangzhou in Hexi. The action is nothing short of small.

These conspiracy disintegrated the original structure of the Longyou Army and broke up the affiliation between the military envoys and the border generals. By recruiting elites from various armies in Longyou and adding them to the old Anren Army troops, the "personal relationship network" that had been forming among the armies was broken into pieces.

To sum it up simply, you don’t play your cards according to the routine.

The advantage of this is that Fang Chongyong, the acting Longyou Jiedu envoy, has secured his official position to a certain extent and controlled the command of the army. He also used the method of removing salary from the bottom of the cauldron to level off the frontier troops who might be dissatisfied with him and then defy him.

But the disadvantage is also obvious, that is, the original tacit understanding among the armies has been broken. No matter who Qiu Ba is, he will naturally feel uncomfortable if there are some unfamiliar Pao Ze around him. This creates a feeling of rejection.

This does have an impact on combat effectiveness. The so-called "generals don't know the soldiers, and the soldiers don't know the generals" refers to this situation.

However, Wang Rao understands this quite well.

As the acting military envoy Fang Chongyong, if a fight really breaks out on the Longyou side, the envoys of each army will not take his orders seriously. Instead, they will "do their own thing" according to their own understanding of the battle situation.

It's normal for everyone to think this way, and Wang Ruo also thinks so himself.

Because the military envoys parachuted in from the imperial court often did not know the local people's conditions and military conditions. It's okay for such a person to not fight and lead the troops on weekdays, but it doesn't matter if you listen to his orders. However, once a fight breaks out, Jiedushi is likely to make wrong decisions, which is far less transparent than the military envoys who are familiar with the local area.

However, if an army does not have unified command in a war, or the command is not strong enough, then the error tolerance rate will be very small. If you are not careful, it will collapse, or the Jiedushi will be sold.

Therefore, from Fang Chongyong's point of view, rather than letting each of his men have their own ideas, it is better to let them all obey his command, even if it will reduce the combat effectiveness of the army.

Wang was not the only one who had this opinion, but no one said anything. After copying the notice, they each took it back to the station.

However, what these people didn't know was that Fang Chongyong's ideas were far less complicated than they expected.

Fang Yanei's series of actions had only one purpose, and that was to "sustain"!
  Just create a good environment for the next Jiedushi to annihilate the enemy, and then he, the man who digs wells and pits, can escape smoothly!

It is impossible to rise to power by stepping on the Tubo people. When you meet the emperor Ji Ge, don't even think about similar things.

If anyone can attack Tubo, Brother Ji will pin him to the border town to fight against Tibet. He will transfer this person from Hexi to Longyou, and from Longyou to Jiannan. Wherever the Tubo people are making trouble, he will be Where to stuff it.

This kind of life is not easy to live, at least Fang Chongyong does not want to be used as a consumable material to build the "Glory of the Tang Dynasty".

Fang Chongyong has already written a letter to his father-in-law Wang Zhongsi, detailing his deployment. Once he recruits the soldiers needed for the Silver Spear Xiaojie Army here, he will look for opportunities to make money.

Of course, although it is impossible to fight a protracted war involving hundreds of thousands of people with the Tubo people. But it is impossible not to fight or take action at all.

Now the arrow is on the string and it has to be fired. It is a foregone conclusion that King Subi will surrender to the Tang Dynasty with his tribe, and there is no way to stop it.

……

It was late at night, but the lights were still brightly lit in the study room of Longyou Jiedu Mansion. The five Lun brothers are here to listen to Fang Chongyong's deployment of the battle plan.

“The Anren Army’s station is now empty, and the army has withdrawn to the Heyuan Army station.

I plan to catch the Tubo people by surprise here. This is not the intended battlefield for the Tubo people, and the Anren Army was disbanded, leaving the Tang Army empty of troops. From the Tibetan people's point of view, it seems to be profitable. "

Fang Chongyong pointed to the Xingxuchuan on the map where the Anren Army was located and said. There is a pasture to the north of Datong City. The water and grass are fertile and suitable for grazing. It is very suitable as a battlefield!

Fang Chongyong had an important purpose in disbanding the Anren Army, which was to deliberately sell a flaw to the Tibetans, otherwise he would have a better way to deal with it.

Fang Chongyong guessed that according to the Tubo people’s thinking:

The first step was for King Subi to surrender to the Tang Dynasty;
  The second step is to negotiate with Datang to ask for someone;
  The third step was to mobilize the whole country after being rejected, and the army set out to conquer Shibao City like a tiger descending from the mountain.

After completing these three steps, Tubo's war machine is fully operational.

For the Tubo people, it didn't matter whether they won or not: winning was important, but even if they lost, Datang would not be able to gain a foothold on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. If they lose, Tubo will continue to recuperate in the coming year. Killing people in war can also reduce internal population pressure, which is not entirely a bad thing.

Although Fang Chongyong has no experience in commanding large corps in combat, he is already very proficient in fighting at the level of ten thousand people. At least he has practiced many times in Hexi, so he is by no means a layman.

If you want to defeat the Tubo people, you must not follow the Tubo people's thinking. Therefore, interrupting the Tibetan people's "charge" became the best option.

Fang Chongyong's plan was to fight a battle that would bring unspeakable suffering to the Tibetan people, and the scale should be controlled at the level of [-] people, which was the size of an army. This leaves no moral loophole for the Tibetans to take advantage of, and can also temporarily curb the Tibetans' ambitious plans.

After this battle is over, he can hand over the affairs of the Longyou Army to Wang Zhongsi, who comes to take over, and he can return to Chang'an with his Silver Spear Soldiers to train.

"Please give me your orders, Commander-in-Chief!"

The five brothers of the Lun clan knelt down on one knee to ask for battle.

"Don't worry, the Tubo people don't seem to be ready, so there's no need to take action yet.

King Subi has been saying that he wants to surrender to the Tang Dynasty, but there has been no movement yet. It is probably because the rebellion within Tubo has not been completely suppressed due to the replacement of Zanpu.

You take Buqu to Lanzhou and take the shorter road, and you should be able to get there in a few days.

There are pastures near Lanzhou, and some soldiers from different origins will be gathered there one after another. After you get there, someone will tell you how to train and reorganize.

After practicing freely, I will return to Shanzhou with the trained troops and we will talk about it then. These people are the backbone of Tianwei Army. "

Fang Chongyong said with a smile.

The five Lun brothers were overjoyed. They did not expect to receive such an important errand as soon as they arrived at Longyou, and it was completely effortless.

Although Fang Chongyong said it very complicated, Lanzhou is also east of Longyou, but it is actually not far from Shanzhou. All the things Fang Chongyong explained can be completed within ten days.

According to the military order just issued by Fang Chongyong, the Anren Army's designation was cancelled, and the corresponding station was empty.

However, the Tubo people would not rashly violate the contract between the two parties and occupy it without making full preparations. Occupying the pit means that the war has begun. It is not the Tubo people who have the final say whether it should stop or not!

Since the Tubo people are deliberately planning to station troops in border towns, their target is probably the strategically important Shibao City. Of course, they will not do such a small thing. However, there are not only Tubo people on the edge of the Hehuang Valley, but also Dangxiang people, Tuyuhun people, and even Uighurs.

If the Tang Dynasty and Tubo did not go to war overtly, they could only fight a "secret war", that is, the Tang army or the Tubo army pretended to be Dangxiang people or Tuyuhun tribesmen, raided a certain place, and robbed people and property of people and property. One-shot deal.

The one who suffered the loss also had troubles that he could not tell.

There is no evidence, even if you know that the other party did it, there is nothing you can do.

Playing this kind of game is Fang Yanei’s strength!

When Fang Chongyong was in Shazhou, he led his troops to pretend to be Sogdians wearing Tang Army armor, Turks wearing Tang Army armor, and Tyuhun people wearing Tang Army armor.

Those unlucky ones who were beaten did not dare to say that Tang Jun had done it, but they all said that they were unlucky enough to be robbed by bandits.

Fang Chongyong sent the five Lun brothers out of the government office. These people will quietly leave Shanzhou with their two thousand troops at night and head east to Jincheng, Lanzhou to participate in reorganization and training.

After sending these people away, Fang Chongyong lay on the couch in the study like a dead fish, too tired to say anything.

He has already made all the arrangements he can.

This situation is just like taking medicine. It takes time for the medicine to take effect. All that can be done is to wait.

The "medicine" taken may or may not be symptomatic, or it may even be poison. No one dares to guarantee that it will work before eating it.

For a time, Fang Chongyong also began to worry about gains and losses.

Could it be that the Tubo people were too stupid to see the bait they had set?

Or maybe the Tubo people are too smart and have predicted their own predictions?
  The internal dissatisfaction of the Longyou Army, the imperial court's arrears in military pay for many years, and the Tibetan people's imminence. These troubles all urgently need a hearty victory to resolve them.

Fighting is to adjust and gain time to fight on a larger scale.

Fang Chongyong remembered that this war continued for more than ten years, until the Anshi Rebellion broke out. This was a huge pit, and you must not jump into it!

Lying on the soft bed, Fang Chongyong felt waves of weakness.

Many temporary policies could ensure the temporary peace of the Tang Dynasty, but they could not change the inherent low efficiency and low output of the border defense in the Longyou area. If things go on like this, it will only be a matter of time before Datang's health tank is emptied.

It was as if Fang Chongyong knew that he had done so many things to alleviate the problem of arrears of military pay for the Longyou Army, but he was unable to prevent the matter from the root. He remembered that in the history of his previous life, there was only one reason for the riots between the two armies of Hexi Longyou: the imperial court was in arrears with military pay.

In other words, under the Tang Dynasty's military recruitment system, this problem has never been solved and will not be solved in the future.

However, if Longyou does not take some measures, the collapse speed of Longyou Town is likely to be beyond imagination. The war is about to begin, and no one will be spared a massive defeat. When the time comes, everyone will have to be forced into the game.

The power of one person is still too small after all!

Fang Chongyong felt like he had done a lot of things, but he didn't seem to have solved a single problem. If the foundation of a house is crooked, its tendency to collapse will not change no matter how much it is framed outside.

"The ignorant are happy."

He lay on the soft floor and let out a long sigh, a little envious of the young Wulings in Chang'an City who spent their days walking around with chickens and fighting dogs.

As long as I don't think about anything, the world will be peaceful. Not knowing anything is the source of happiness in life.

Fang Chongyong felt that his life was very tiring and he wanted to find fun from the Tubo people.

……

Lanzhou Jincheng, located on the bank of the Yellow River, is the economic center of Longyou.

"Hanshu·Jingtongzhuan" says, "Jincheng Tangchi cannot be attacked." The words "Jincheng" and "Golden Pool" are used to describe the strength of the city.

Lanzhou Jincheng is surrounded by mountains and rivers, and the situation is dangerous. It borders Longyuan to the east, Yangguan to the west, Bashu to the south, and Shuofang to the north. It is the rear area and hematopoietic machine of Longyou, and is also a branch station on the Silk Road, so it is much more prosperous than Shanzhou.

The population size is also much larger.

On this day, about [-] Longyou troops from Shanzhou, consisting of one battalion, stationed at Jincheng, Lanzhou, under the guidance of Lanzhou Governor Wang Sili.

Later, Cen Shen, the Jiedu judge under Fang Chongyong, personally led them to the treasury and granary in Lanzhou. The scale is huge, far beyond what Shanzhou can compare with!
  Accompanied by the sound of grinding wooden shafts, Lanzhou's treasury was opened.

This group of people from the border town who had never seen the world saw bundles of cloth piled up like mountains and put away in different categories. Not only that, there are sheepskins one after another, so many that I can’t even count them, neatly stacked in another place in the treasury.

The entire treasury is filled with cloth from Jiangnan and Sichuan, and it’s endless as far as the eye can see! There are many rare and precious varieties among them, which are dazzling!
  Facing Gao Xiuyan who was leading the team, Cen Shen saluted him and asked, "What does General Gao think of the Lanzhou Treasury?"

"Okay! Okay! Fang Jieshuai is indeed a trustworthy person! The border army's salary has been settled!"

Gao Xiuyan said excitedly. The Qiu Ba people behind him were also congested and wanted to empty out the Lanzhou treasury right now!

"Originally, Fang Jieshuai had made an agreement with the court that he would replenish the Longyou army's salary. However, things broke out between the Anren army and the Heyuan army, and the saint was not happy. The reason will not be explained in detail.

Now it is necessary to inform the frontier soldiers that the treasury in Lanzhou is full, enough to pay the army, and there will be a lot left. But the sage has spoken, and the mutinous army will take away his merits.

After General Gao returns to Shanzhou, please be sure to inform the soldiers of the three armies that they must be brave and courageous in the next battle. These treasures are waiting for you to return victoriously!
  Today, you will escort one hundred thousand silk back to Shanzhou to supplement part of the military pay for each army. "

Cen Shen followed Fang Chongyong's previous instructions and said to Gao Xiuyan in a loud voice. Many Qiu Ba outside the treasury heard it and burst into cheers.

"Judge Cen, don't worry. After I return to Shanzhou, I will tell the truth to the officers and soldiers of the three armies. Fang Jieshuai is very particular about people, and we, those of us who lick blood from the edge of a knife, will not be ambiguous in our affairs!"

Gao Xiuyan excitedly beat his chest and promised, and ordered the soldiers of this battalion to carry one hundred thousand silk to the bullock cart, and set off to transport it back to Longyou today.

These soldiers drawn from various armies in Longyou, like chicken blood, quickly loaded one hundred thousand silk into the cart and left Jincheng in a mighty manner that day.

However, late at night, Wang Sili and Cen Shen led a group of Sogdian Hu merchants to the treasury in Lanzhou.

These merchants and their servants emptied almost half of Lanzhou's treasury. Taking advantage of the darkness, these Hu merchants headed north to Liangzhou with a large amount of money and a large number of followers.

"It would be great if we could rob these people. Why worry about not having money to raise troops?"

Watching the Sogdian businessman leave, Wang Sili said to Cen Shen with a look of reluctance.

“Your Majesty’s words are completely false.

Fang Jieshuai said, we can't break the rules, otherwise no one will believe what we say in the future.

No matter how good this batch of money is, it is still borrowed and will have to be repaid after all. "

Cen Shen persuaded patiently.

"That's right. Otherwise, those treacherous Sogdian Huken lent us money and silk to act in a drama. Hexi Qilin's reputation is naturally different from others."

Wang Sili said with emotion, feeling ashamed.

(End of this chapter)