Elegy of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 5
The farther north of Kuizhou City is full of mountains, and there are not many roads in sight.Now Fang Chongyong is standing on the north city wall built of rammed earth, and he can see the ferocious fire in the dark green mountains in the distance!
Smoke billows!Block out the sun!
I don't know how many mountains and forests will be burned down by this wave of Liao people.

Fang Chongyong couldn't help but asked Zheng Shuqing beside him in a low voice: "Zheng Shijun, the officials are so troubled, does the city care about them?"

"This is the internal affairs of the bureaucrats. I wait for help, but the more I help, the more chaos I will have."

Zheng Shuqing sighed and said, there are many things that Fang Chongyong can't understand in a few words.

Liao people are similar to the people of Shanyue, they live in scattered groups without organization, and there is no leader like a chief.

They can be found everywhere in Shu and the Southwest. Kuizhou is only the capital city of Kuizhou along the river and Wushan County in the east belonged to the Han people.

Although the Han people and the Liao people often had conflicts, because Kuizhou Fucheng was a commercial port, it provided many opportunities for survival for the Liao people. Therefore, the relationship between the two sides was relatively deep, and they did not attack each other.On the contrary, there is more cooperation, and merchants often hire bureaucrats as guides or servants to make a living on the boat.

If there are bureaucrats causing trouble in the city, it will be resolved by Zheng Shuqing on behalf of the government. In fact, most of them are trivial matters.

The so-called major events are all between Liaoren and Liaoren!

At this moment, there were a few Liao people with dark complexions, blue turbans on their heads, paired shorts and trousers, dancing and shouting to the closed city gate of Kuizhou, vaguely like the word "help". , but the voice is weird.It was obvious that Zheng Shuqing had to order the opening of the city gates to allow them to enter the city for refuge.

Before Fang Chongyong had time to speak, the pursuers behind these people arrived. More than a dozen Liaomen armed with knives and axes were dressed in the same clothes as these fleeing Liaoren.

The Liao people had almost no power to resist. After being hacked to death, the corpses were dragged away by the pursuers, leaving long bloodstains on the ground.After a while, except for those dark red marks on the ground, it seemed that nothing had happened.

Zheng Shuqing, Yang Ruoxu and others at the top of the city were all expressionless, watching this cruel and bloody vendetta very indifferently, without saying a word.

"Since people are killed, the mountain fire must be extinguished."

After a long time, Zheng Shuqing said softly to Fang Chongyong.As if to confirm his words, the mountain fire in the distance was much smaller.

Seeing that Fang Chongyong seemed to still have doubts, Zheng Shuqing explained: "When the officials solve problems, they always come to kill them. They don't blame the father for his son's death, just like animals. In fact, such atrocities can be stopped by uniting the troops in the city, but another person It’s something that can’t be stopped.”

"Please let me show you."

Fang Chongyong humbly asked for advice, Zheng Inspector Zheng could be an official in Kuizhou, he felt that he really underestimated the level of governance of others.

"When the Liao people burn the mountains, they are burning the She. After the fire, there will be She fields, and they will be cultivated on the She fields in the next year. After the land is no longer fertile, they will burn the She in other places. When burning the mountains, they often sacrifice to pray for rain, and kill the enemies. Worshiping the sky... how can the government stop such a thing?"

Zheng Shuqing said helplessly.

The Han people in Kuizhou didn't do much farming anymore, but the Liao people didn't have food and cloth to trade with merchants, and they still kept the primitive slash-and-burn farming.Under such circumstances, the harvest and quality of the grain grown can be imagined.

These things have no market competitiveness at the Kuizhou Commercial Port. The merchants who come and go are all people who have seen the market. It is impossible to buy things produced in the fields of the Liao people and sell them elsewhere. The things that the Liao people trade with the merchants will not be sold elsewhere. There is a universe.

Zheng Shuqing felt that he didn't need to talk about these things with a yellow-mouthed child.

"The bureaucrats kill their enemies and their families at every turn, and they are lawless..."

Fang Chongyong muttered to himself, with mixed feelings in his heart.

Poor people must be hateful. If people are not restrained by propriety, justice and integrity, and are not restrained by laws and regulations, they will indeed be like those people outside the city at this moment.

The Liao people came to Kuizhou City honestly, not because they wanted to like it so much, but because the Tang Dynasty government was strong and the Kuizhou commercial port was prosperous, so they could only rely on this place to make a living.

The morals of the world turn people into beasts, and turn "beasts" into people, nothing more.

At this moment, Zheng Shuqing's personal companion came over, and said in a very small voice in his ear: "Master, General Wang of Dongyang Mansion has come, and he seems to have the intention of inquiring about his crimes, and he is now waiting at the gate of the mansion. A lot of government soldiers came to build momentum."

Hearing this, Zheng Shuqing's face collapsed, and he sighed helplessly.He shouted to Yang Ruoxu: "Follow me into the government office, let all these united soldiers disperse."

There is really nothing to do now, Yang Ruoxu explained a few words to his subordinates, followed Zheng Shuqing cautiously, his face was very nervous.On the contrary, Fang Chongyong was confused.

"You can come together, anyway, they are here."

Zheng Shuqing was very upset, wondering if that person came to confirm that Fang Chongyong was still alive.Judging from Fang Youde's staid personality, it is impossible to throw his son in Kuizhou without making any arrangements.The guy surnamed Wang came so coincidentally, it's hard to say that it wasn't arranged by Fang Youde in advance.

That guy must have gone to Chang'an to complain!

When Zheng Shuqing thinks of Fang Youde, his teeth itch with hatred.

That's right, Fang Youde's personal integrity is very admirable, but this person doesn't know how to adapt.

He only insisted on his own reasoning, completely disregarding the life and death of other people, and he was full of words such as "to be loyal to the country and die later".

In order to sue, his own son threw it away as soon as he said it. This kind of ruthlessness is really not something ordinary people can have.Zheng Shuqing had no doubt that if Li Longji asked Fang Youde to kill his own son, that one would definitely be able to kill him.

A group of people came to the dilapidated government office, and the lobby could smell the smell of wood rotting due to humidity.Fang Chongyong frowned slightly, he already understood that Zheng Shuqing lived in the other courtyard of the Lianhua Pond for his own comfort, and did not live in a mansion that had no money to repair.

Officials from such aristocratic families like them live in extreme luxury in terms of food, clothing, housing and transportation, and they don't even count on the little salary from the imperial court to live on.Being an official is to ensure the continuous transfer of benefits and protect the territory where their family is located.

As for local officials not repairing government offices and county offices, it is easy to understand. If they do, doesn't that mean that the government is rich?

At that time, if disaster relief is needed, the local government can't afford it, right?

Have the money to repair the yamen but have no money to provide disaster relief?Then how dare you find a big local family to apportion it?

Just as Fang Chongyong was thinking about it, he had already seen a burly general wearing a bright armor leading dozens of fully armed soldiers in front of the hall.

There is a horizontal knife on the left side of these soldiers' waists, two hatchets on the right side, quiver pots and horn bows on the back.Armor on the body, shoulders, small round chest guard, riveted helmet, including the armor with the front opening.It is not an exaggeration to describe it as armed to the teeth.

The troops are neatly dressed, the equipment is neat, and the momentum is impressive!

The government office lobby seemed like nothing to them.

Compared with the fifty crossbowmen under Yang Ruoxu's command, these soldiers are the real killing machines.

"Prince Zheng! The Liao people in Kuizhou burned the mountains, and you sat back and watched them kill each other several times, ignoring the majesty of the Tang Dynasty! Today I heard that the Liao people burned the mountains and attacked each other. A certain man specially led his subordinates to come to help. Why did you leave your post without permission? ?”

The burly general surnamed Wang pointed at Zheng Shuqing and yelled at him, buckling his hats on him.

"Wang Zhongsi! You were relegated to Dongyang Mansion just because you talked about the military affairs of Shu land! Do you still think this is Tubo! I haven't prosecuted you for trespassing on the mansion!"

Don't slap someone in the face, don't expose someone's shortcomings.Zheng Shuqing was not someone to be trifled with. He explained Wang Zhongsi’s current situation in one sentence:
Cast idle!

Zheng Shuqing does not need to be polite to Wang Zhongsi, because Wang Zhongsi is a good friend of Zhong Wang Li Sisheng (later Li Heng), and Li Linfu protects Shou Wang Li Ju!
Wang Zhongsi used to fight against Tibet on the border. He repeatedly performed extraordinary feats and was trusted by Li Longji. However... he has now been demoted for saying something he shouldn't have said.

Of course, there may be other reasons, but on the surface, he was demoted because of "discussing government affairs indiscriminately."

The problem still lies with that Jiannan Jiedushi Wang Yu.

When Wang Zhongsi was on the border of Tubo, he wrote a memorial and commented on Wang Yu and the Jiannan Army, saying that Wang Yu's strategy for border towns in Shu was "not good".Therefore, he was framed by Wang Yu's righteous brother Huangfu Weiming, saying that he "has a different ambition".

So I didn't know what Li Longji was thinking, so he demoted Wang Zhongsi to Zuo Guoyi of Dongyang Prefecture.Not only is this ghost place extremely far away from Chang'an, it is even within the radiation range of Jiannan Jiedu Envoy.A lot of the money and food in Kuizhou was allocated to the Jiannan Army.

Li Longji's sap can be said to be ruthless.

So what kind of official is Zuo Guoyi?Zuo Guoyi is the deputy of Zhechong Captain, who is responsible for training the soldiers and managing the Zhechong Mansion. He can even decide whose cub can be a soldier and whose cub can't!

Is there much power?
Well, it used to be very big, very powerful, and it was one of the important ladders for ordinary people to climb up after joining the army.Many generals in the Tang Dynasty had the experience of serving as assistant officials in the military mansion before they became famous.

But what about now?
Now it is basically equivalent to not being an official, and there is only a thin line between them and civilians!To put it bluntly, it’s nothing!It’s useless!

Wang Zhongsi's power and position in Dongyang Mansion Zuo Guoyi is far inferior to Zheng Shuqing, governor of Kuizhou!
The reason why Wang Zhongsi could stand here to challenge Zheng Shuqing was because he was once a popular figure around Li Longji, a specially trained general, and he had an irreversible friendship with Li Heng.

He is powerful only because he is Wang Zhongsi and his "holy family", not because of Zuo Guoyi's official position.

Although the military government in the mid-Tang Dynasty has not been revoked, it is basically no different from existing in name only.The common people all regard joining the military mansion as a serious problem, and there are many people who escaped to serve, and the officers and titles in the military mansion are not worth mentioning at all.

Take it to the society for comparison, and it is a deduction item rather than a bonus item. The matchmaker will frown when she sees it, and she would rather not talk about it.

The world has changed, and today is no longer the era during the Zhenguan period when it was glorious to be a soldier in the government and the family did not have to worry about getting married.

This stronghold for training government soldiers is just one mile outside Wushan County, not far to the east of Kuizhou Prefecture.Not only is it dilapidated and small, but Kuizhou itself is a commercial port, and there has been no war. In addition, the land equalization system has long existed in name only, so how can there be any government soldiers to recruit?
Now the more than a dozen armed elites in the lobby of the government office are all Wang Zhongsi's "property", there is not one left, and they are all pulled out to suppress the place.

How glorious the Fubing used to be, how desolate the Fubing is now.

But Wang Zhongsi has ambitions, he wants to fight for military exploits, so he can return to Chang'an and come into Li Longji's sight again!He wants to prove to Li Longji that no matter where he is, he is a loyal minister and good general.

Fang Chongyong looked at the expressionless Yang Ruoxu, who seemed to have no love in life, and thought to himself: This person may have seen through life a long time ago, and he no longer has any extravagant hopes for living in the city of Kuizhou.

But Wang Zhongsi had just arrived in Kuizhou not long ago, so he didn't know the "market".Sooner or later, he would understand that when he was a military officer here in Kuizhou, unless the world was in chaos, no matter how much he jumped around, he wouldn't be able to make a name for himself.

Fang Chongyong couldn't help but compare him with the new bustards who had just entered the industry, and the scene of being trained by the madam on how to pick up customers appeared in his mind...

The psychological gap is indeed relatively large, right?
The burly Wang Zhongsi and the delicate and charming Qing Guanren, no matter how they compare, they are so inconsistent, but they have some similar experiences. When Fang Chongyong thinks of this, he can't help but want to laugh out loud, and in the end he really bears it. I couldn't help laughing out loud.

"Hehe, hehe..."

This time, not only Wang Zhongsi and the soldiers behind him, but even Zheng Shuqing looked at Fang Chongyong in surprise.

Zheng Shuqing really didn't expect that Fang Chongyong, as Fang Youde's only son, would actually mock his father's old friend Fang Youde.

I mocked Wang Zhongsi because I belonged to Li Linfu, and it was impossible for me to pee in the same pot as Wang Zhongsi; what are you trying to mock Wang Zhongsi for?

Zheng Shuqing fell into deep doubts, could this be the legendary rebellious son?
Because of Fang Chongyong's weird laughter, the tense atmosphere between the two sides disappeared, and instead they fell into an awkward situation of not knowing how to break the deadlock.

"General Wang, I felt something when I saw the soldiers fighting, and I have a poem I want to give you. If General Wang thinks it's not bad, how about bringing the soldiers back to Dongyang Mansion? The fighting among the soldiers is over, and the mountain fire If they let it go, they will naturally destroy it, so why should the king, his general, and his disciples waste their military strength?"

Fang Chongyong suggested cautiously.

Wang Zhongsi glanced at him thoughtfully and nodded slightly.

"Just say what you want."

Wang Zhongsi looked at Fang Chongyong carefully, his slightly red and black weathered face was calm, and he did not explain his true intention of coming.

"When you draw a bow, you should draw it strong, and when you use an arrow, you should use it long.

Shoot people first, shoot horses, and capture thieves first.

Killing is also limited, and nations have their own borders.

If you can control the invasion of the mausoleum, how can you kill more people? "

After finishing a poem, everyone present was lost in thought. Yang Ruoxu looked at Fang Chongyong with deep meaning, not knowing what he was thinking.

Seeing that no one spoke, Fang Chongyong explained with embarrassment: "The Kuizhou Liao people live scattered and have no subordinates. If they are strangled, they will escape into the deep forest and be difficult to find. When the government soldiers retreat, they will come to provoke again." , There is no reason to guard against thieves for a thousand days.

Although I am young, I also know the principle of giving both kindness and power, and using the law as a prison.Many of the Liao people in Kuizhou are servants in the city, and there are also many guides and boatmen.Blindly using strong, may be counterproductive.The bad habits of officials will be difficult to correct for a while, and they can be controlled a little, there is no need to go to war. "

Fang Chongyong finished all the words quickly, only to see that Wang Zhongsi and Zheng Shuqing were still deep in thought and did not speak, and no one interrupted their thoughts.

Originally, what the Liao people were causing trouble this time was the grudges in the world. It was because there was really no military merit to be gained in Kuizhou, which made Wang Zhongsi, Zheng Shuqing and others eager to try. It was best to turn these grudges into a "civilian uprising" , or even "rebellion", in that case, wouldn't the credit come?

But if the accident occurred in Kuizhou, Zheng Shuqing would inevitably be responsible for "stirring up civil unrest".Compared with the military exploits that are very likely to offset the merits and demerits, it is more important to make money.Therefore, he can't let Wang Zhongsi mess around.

The country has been at peace for a long time, and those generals who cannot go to border towns, how can they be promoted?

The answer is that there is no ordinary way for them to go!So creating a little problem where there is no problem is the path that those generals who are self-motivated can choose.

This is not a problem for any one person, it is a problem for the world, the country, and the court.

"Inspector Zheng, please do it yourself."

Wang Zhongsi snorted coldly, turned around and left.I came a little late by an hour or two, and it was too late to intervene now, so I could only see if there was any chance in the future.

He left the hall of the government office with more than a dozen government soldiers in a file. The harsh sound of armor rubbing against each other made all the people left here feel terrified.

"You can go with Wang Zhongsi, and I will not stop you. He still has some friendship with your father."

Zheng Shuqing turned around very proudly, his back facing Fang Chongyong.

"Shijun was joking, and since a word expresses the truth that a horse is hard to follow, I still understand it."

Fang Chongyong said with a sneer.

run?Where else can you run?
According to the history books, Li Linfu can still be prime minister for 20 years. Could it be that he will hide from now on and come out to play with An Lushan after hiding for 20 years?

Zheng Shuqing's level of probing was really too clumsy.

Fang Chongyong didn't even bother to scold him.

"Well, children can be taught."

Zheng Shuqing turned around and nodded with a smile on his face. He was very satisfied with Zhongyong's knowledge and wit.

(End of this chapter)