Early Tang Dynasty: forge ahead

Chapter 353 Famous generals gather together
Chen Qingsi followed Cheng Wuting into Liucheng, Yingzhou, facing the wind and snow in western Liaoning.

Liucheng is not prosperous, especially in this cold winter month, when there are almost no people on the whole street. The only sound they heard was the "crunch, crunch" sound of their shoes scraping against the snow as they walked by.

But this is the frontier town controlled by the Tang Dynasty in the Northeast. Countless wars have broken out here, and it has a rich history.

It can be seen from the majestic city walls and the layout of the streets that it is well versed in military purposes and is suitable for street fighting.

Chen Qingsi looked around, combined with what he had seen along the way, and said to Liu Ren: "As we thought, the land in western Liaoning is bitterly cold and not suitable for farming. Livestock is the top priority. From the layout of the houses, it can be seen that the population is seriously insufficient. "

After hearing what Chen Qingsi said, Cheng Wuting, who was leading the way, said eagerly: "The situation in eastern Liaoning and western Liaoning is different. This area was captured by Goguryeo during the turmoil between the north and south of the Central Plains in the past. They occupied Liaodong and western Liaoning for three to four hundred years, and it was not until Emperor Taizong's eastern expedition that they finally Return to our Tang Dynasty. After three to four hundred years of rule by Goguryeo, the people in the two places have already changed to speak Goguryeo and learn the history of Goguryeo. Only a few people know that their ancestors are descendants of the Han family. After Emperor Taizong pacified Liaodong, the people in the territory were once hostile. We regarded us as intruders until recent years.”

"Liaodong and western Liaoning have inconvenient transportation and poor environment. The local people are not friendly, so no outsiders will move in. Except for some local people, most of the people living in the city are soldiers and their families."

Chen Qingsi heard the hidden meaning.

Cheng Mingzhen, the governor of Yingzhou and the protector of Dongyi, had similar powers to Chen Qingsi, and both were controlled by military and political affairs.

The decline of people's livelihood in Yingzhou is also related to Cheng Minzhen.

Cheng Wuting was explaining to his father.

Even Cheng Wuting has heard of Chen Qingsi's deeds and is well aware of his connections.

Border commanders like Cheng Mingzhen had the power of life and death in the local area and were equivalent to the local emperor. However, the civil servants who had won the emperor's heart were most feared. Once they were seriously injured, they would easily become jealous due to their excessive power.

"General Cheng misunderstood!"

In addition to chatting along the way, Chen Qingsi and Liu Rengui often discussed the governance of Baekje.

The two agreed that relying on the imperial court's support for cross-sea transportation would not solve the urgent need, and new channels must be opened.

The navigation and shipbuilding technology of this era was not enough to support cross-sea trade: the risks faced were too great.

Once danger occurs on the sea, both people and goods will be lost, and the benefits and risks are not proportional.

The business roads in Liaodong and Liaoxi counties are particularly valuable.

It happens that Liaodong and western Liaoning lack productive populations and have low productivity. There are also many troops gathered here, and there is a need for supplies.

Baekje has a population of 760,000 households and nearly 4 million people. Excluding the old and weak, it has enough productivity to make up for the lack of productivity in eastern Liaoning and western Liaoning.

The materials are produced by Baekje and sold in Liaodong and Western Liaoning.

Chen Qingsi explained: "On the way to Baekje, the governor was thinking about how to open up trade routes. Seeing that the population in eastern Liaoning and western Liaoning was not large, he had some ideas. The governor knew the situation in eastern Liaoning and western Liaoning. In the past, Sui Yang During the Emperor's two campaigns in Goguryeo, millions of troops crossed the border and the land was in a state of chaos. Thanks to the management and guidance of Governors Xue, Zhang and Cheng, the current situation is no longer easy. "

There was nothing wrong with Yang Guang's attack on Goguryeo, but his mistake was that he suffered a huge loss.

Both expeditions reached the hinterland of Goguryeo, and then were driven back like a bereaved dog, vomiting out all the places they had previously occupied.

These places where they were spit out were naturally devastated, and they naturally hated the Central Plains deeply, which brought huge trouble to the subsequent rule of the Tang Dynasty.

Therefore, when Li Shimin went on the Eastern Expedition, the people of Liaodong regarded the Tang army as a life-or-death enemy.

It's only now that things have gotten better.

The three governors Xue, Zhang and Cheng mentioned by Chen Qingsi were the three border commanders after the founding of the Tang Dynasty. Cheng was naturally Cheng Mingzhen. Due to the recovery of Liaodong, Cheng Mingzhen was also the governor of Yingzhou, but he was also the governor of Dongyi.

Cheng Wuting was relieved after hearing this. He was still young and was just following his father to hone his military skills. He had not yet been exposed to administrative affairs. He didn't quite understand how Baekje interacted with Liaodong and Liaoxi. It was just that he really didn't bother his father. Wrong, that's why I feel relieved.

"The Governor's Mansion is ahead!"

Cheng Wu breathed a sigh of relief and pointed forward. Deep in the wind and snow, several figures were looming.

He looked at it for a while, with a look of joy on his face, and said, "It's Commander-in-Chief Father. Commander-in-Chief Father has come out to greet the Governor."

Chen Qingsi saw only black shadows and could not tell who was who, so she hurriedly said: "Then hurry up and greet them. Don't keep Governor Cheng waiting for a long time."

There was a flash of strangeness in Chen Qingsi's eyes, but when she thought of Cheng Wuting's previous attitude, she suddenly felt enlightened.

It turned out to be the case.

He himself came suddenly this time for the purpose of connecting Baekje with Liaodong and Liaoxi.

Cheng Mingzhen did not dare to think so. In the past few years, he had set out on expeditions to western Liaoning and eastern Liaoning. He had seized military and political power and had a high prestige here.

Chen Qingsi, a celebrity in front of the emperor, suddenly paid a visit, so there is nothing wrong with thinking more about it.

The fast horse came nearby, and Chen Qingsi dismounted in advance and walked up.

A veteran with thick eyebrows, big eyes and a strong back came towards him.

The veteran is already in his sixties, with a gray beard and white hair, but his body stands upright in the cold wind. When he looks around, he looks majestic and has the spirit of Huang Zhong and Lianpo.

He is Cheng Mingzhen...

The sixty-year-old hero crossed the Liao River alone and defeated Goguryeo on the banks of the Liao River.

In that battle, the Tang army completely violated military common sense.

The army went deep alone and was attacked halfway across. It was outnumbered and had three major disadvantages gathered in one place.

As a result, Cheng Mingzhen, Su Dingfang, and Cheng Wuting ignored all principles of military art and won.

I have to say that the veterans Li Shimin left behind are really strong. Cheng Mingzhen and Su Dingfang are both sixty-year-old veterans, and they can still be so fierce.

"Captain Cheng!"

"Captain Chen!"

Cheng Minzhen added a big character.

Chen Qingsi's status is not as good as Cheng Mingzhen's, but Baekje's current strategic value is high, and it is the governor's palace.

"You are indeed young and have a lot of potential!"

When Cheng Mingzhen was young, he served as the magistrate of Pule County under Dou Jiande and was highly regarded by him. The military general's background is true, but he has been an official for more than forty years, and the flattery and pleasantries in the officialdom are easy to come by.

Chen Qingsi is also well versed in the method of mutual promotion in business. After chatting for a while, everyone introduced themselves.

Cheng Mingzhen pointed to a general behind him and said casually: "This is General Zuowuwei Xue Li..."

Chen Qingsi looked at the white-robed general on Cheng Mingzhen's finger, and felt like she had finally seen him.

Xue Rengui, a legendary general among the new generation.

In the years since she came to Datang, Chen Qingsi had several opportunities to meet him, but in the end, due to some strange combination of circumstances, she was unable to meet him.

The Xue Rengui in front of him was far less handsome than the one shown on TV. He had a big square face and a beautiful black moustache. He was extremely tall, with long and thick hands and feet, making him look extremely majestic.

"General Xue captured the number one warrior of Tiele in one move, Bi Sudu. Single-handedly, he made hundreds of Tiele elites kowtow, making people admire him."

Xue Rengui nodded and said, "It's because of the power of the great governor. It's rare for a great governor to overcome a strong one with a weak one, and only then can a general be lucky enough to take advantage."

Chen Qingsi felt a little regretful, but couldn't express it clearly.

If it weren't for him, the rebellion of the five Tiele surnames would have happened in the future when Su Dingfang pacified Baekje and attacked Goguryeo.

At that time, Xue Rengui hit the Tianshan Mountain with three arrows, marking the beginning of his legendary life. But because of his own appearance, Three Arrows Dingtian Mountain was gone.

Xue Rengui lost an opportunity to be promoted and famous, and is still General Zuo Wuwei.

"This is Zuo Xiaowei Yi, Wei Zhonglang General Li Jinxing..."

Chen Qingsi's eyes lit up again. This Li Jinxing was also an extraordinary figure. He was from the Sumo Mohe tribe and the son of Duke Tu Diji of the State of Yi.

Historically, since the death of Cheng Mingzhen, two successive governors of Yingzhou were unable to control Khitan and Goguryeo. It was not until Li Jinxing succeeded that he was feared by Khitan and Goguryeo. Later, they defeated Silla and completely stabilized the situation in Haidong. Eventually he was transferred to the Tibetan area on the western front. He once used the empty city strategy to scare away Lun Qinling, and defeated the Tubo many times. His military exploits were not inferior to Xue Rengui's, but because he was a Tibetan general, his reputation was not as good as Xue Rengui's.

Chen Qingsi glanced at it, Xue Rengui, Li Jinxing, or Cheng Wuting.

Damn, it’s sour.

Is the Liaodong Army so terrifying?

It’s enough to have a coach like Cheng Minzhen, and there are also generals like Xue Rengui, Li Jinxing, and Cheng Wuting who can take charge of their own business.

Thinking about myself, Liu Rengui, Hei Chi Changzhi, Zhao Chiman, and Cheng Boxian seem to be not bad either.

Slightly more balanced.

Cheng Mingzhen introduced several other generals, such as Li Xuanzheng and Xiong Yanliang, who were all quite famous, but compared with Xue Rengui, Li Jinxing and Cheng Wuting, they were much inferior.

The group also entered the lobby of the Governor's Mansion.

Cheng Mingzhen also prepared a feast of wine and meat.

When Chen Qingsi saw that Cheng Mingzhen was quite cautious in his words and deeds, he knew that his previous guess was correct, so he made his intention clear immediately to avoid the other party from overthinking.

"Governor Cheng, I see that the population in western Liaoning and eastern Liaoning is sparse. Most of our Han people are soldiers. The remaining Tibetan people such as Wei, Xi, and Khitan are mostly engaged in animal husbandry and are rarely engaged in handicrafts and other matters. All the materials needed for daily life are transported from Hebei and other places. Come."

Cheng Mingzhen nodded and said: "That's true. Eastern Liaoning and western Liaoning cannot do without the support of Youyan. However, the journey from Youyan to western Liaodong is extremely dangerous. In spring and summer, there is fear of heavy rain and waterlogging roads are blocked, and in autumn and winter, there is fear of heavy snow and snow-covered roads. Often, the roads are blocked. There are situations where supplies fail to arrive in time.”

Chen Qingsi said: "I am going out to control Baekje. Baekje has millions of people and can provide certain supplies for Liaodong and Western Liaoning. This will alleviate the pressure on resources in Liaodong and Western Liaoning."

Cheng Mingzhen put the wine glass in his hand on the table and said: "This is great. Western Liaoning is in good condition, and supplies can be transported by water. However, the soldiers in Liaodong often suffer from shortages of supplies. It would be great if we could fill the gap for them. Great news. I would like to express my gratitude to the commander-in-chief on behalf of the soldiers on the front line."

Chen Qingsi shook his head and said: "It's too early for the governor to say thank you. Now there is a situation. Baekje is really close to Liaodong, and it only takes a day to travel by water. But after all, they are separated by Goguryeo. If you want to ensure the safety of the waterway, you have to connect Goguryeo's The navy must be suppressed. This is also my intention, but I don’t know whether Governor Cheng can contribute to guard the sea route together with the navy of Xiongjin Prefecture. "

Cheng Mingzhen was obviously relieved, but he was also interested in Chen Qingsi's proposal.

The biggest problem in eastern Liaoning and western Liaoning is the insufficient number of Han people. After hundreds of years of Goguryeo rule, the original native Han people have become Goguryeo, and people of various ethnic groups have mixed. There are many people, but not many really understand handicrafts.

Chen Qingsi's proposal can solve the urgent problem.

Just thinking about it, he realized that this was a mutually beneficial situation, and immediately said: "This matter is beneficial to both parties, so there is no reason why it shouldn't be done. As for protecting the waterway, let a certain force take over it first. After Baekje is stabilized, we can discuss it again. How to escort.”

Chen Qingsi was quite happy to see someone taking advantage of him, but hesitantly said on his face: "Isn't this inappropriate?"

Cheng Mingzhen said: "There is nothing wrong. The Governor is optimistic about it. As for Goguryeo, those turtles dare to come forward, which is the merit of our hands."

As soon as he said this, everyone at the banquet laughed together.

Chen Qingsi didn't say much anymore. It was right to think about it. With such a group of ruthless people, she really had nothing to worry about.

This is also true. In these years of duels with Goguryeo, Goguryeo did not gain any advantage from the Tang army in field battles.

Even in various unfavorable situations, the Tang army could win.

The only real headache for Tang Jun in Goguryeo was that the turtle shell was too hard.

They were good at defense, good at construction, and built cities on mountains. The Tang army really had nothing to do with them.

Cheng Mingzhen was even more happy because it was a big deal and he was less uneasy. He became more and more pleased with Chen Qingsi and kept asking him to drink.

Chen Qingsi also accepted everyone who came and drank freely.

The drinking capacity developed over the years has also been put to use, and he has a great time drinking with many of the top celebrities of this era.

The next day, Chen Qingsi shook his somewhat groggy head, approached Cheng Mingzhen, and proposed the idea of ​​visiting the Yingzhou Army.

"Governor Cheng, I have a general named Heiji Changzhi, who is from Baekje. This time, if we want to quell the internal unrest in Baekje, whether he is willing to help will play a decisive role. Along the way, a certain person asked him to Feeling the magnificence of our Tang Dynasty made him yearn for it, but I had to shock him and let him know how powerful the Tang Dynasty was and open his eyes to see it. A battle-hardened warrior from Liaodong."

The Tang Dynasty had three powerful armies, including Guanzhong Fubing, Northeastern Liaodong Army, and Western Region Anxi Army.

However, the soldiers of the Guanzhong Prefecture have not been in battle for a long time, and their combat effectiveness is no longer comparable to that of the Taizong period. However, with the advantages of weapons and armor, they can still make the world awe.

The Liaodong Army and the Anxi Army are really a strong force that has fought a hundred battles, and every soldier has been polished.

Now that he is here, Chen Qingsi wants to see the power of the Liaodong Army of the Tang Dynasty, which also opens the eyes of Hei Te Changzhi.

Cheng Mingzhen said: "What is this? No special arrangements are needed. The Governor can just come with me for a visit..."

(End of this chapter)