Ji Han Da Sima

Chapter 408 Want to go down to the crossroads

Time passes and it's midsummer.

Midsummer is the season when viruses and mosquitoes breed, and when malaria spreads unbridled and widespread. However, for the soldiers of the Southern Han Dynasty, malaria was gradually coming to an end.

Fifty days of collective quarantine, prohibiting communication with the outside world, eradicating mosquitoes, strictly controlling hygiene, and isolating malaria patients. For the tens of thousands of soldiers of the Han army, it was undoubtedly an unusually long time.

During this period of time, both the senior officials of the Southern Han Dynasty and the grassroots soldiers were on tenterhooks for fear of being bitten by mosquitoes and suffering from untreatable malaria.

During this period, there were many soldiers who suffered psychological collapse due to long-term isolation and the harm caused by malaria. They tried to escape the camp or tried to resist. Fortunately, this kind of behavior that disrupted prevention and control was suppressed by the military.

Those who harassed them should have been killed according to military law. But Huo Jun knew very well that under malaria and isolation, soldiers with fragile hearts could easily not be able to withstand the pressure. Feeling pity, Huo Jun spared him the death penalty and gave him the punishment of a cane.

Learn the lesson of strict control, and also to let the sergeant release excess energy. Huo Jun ordered each battalion to hold Cuju competitions regularly, and organized competitions between battalions. The winning battalion would receive extra meals.

With the Cuju League, the soldiers practiced martial arts in the morning and played Cuju with each other in the afternoon. They gradually forgot about the haze shrouded by malaria in the army.

In order not to put too much pressure on the soldiers, Liu Bei inspected each battalion appropriately and visited the soldiers who had been injured in the previous battle. Knowing that the king was isolated with everyone and never left the soldiers, the morale of the army increased again.

And as time goes by, fewer and fewer people are newly infected with malaria, and everyone gradually forgets about malaria. After all, there is no need to fight or march, just practice martial arts, play Cuju, and eat two meals a day. In addition to not being able to see my family, I started to enjoy the days of isolation.

Of course, malaria camps are different from ordinary isolation camps. Most of them are far away from large military camps. To avoid causing panic, only four to five hundred people lived in each camp. The sick sergeant was depressed due to malaria. During this period, there were mostly rumors of healing, trying to ensure their confidence.

Although malaria spread by mosquitoes has a high fatality rate, it is much easier to deal with than some airborne plagues.

Killing mosquitoes, doing hygiene, and relieving stress, with Huo Jun's excellent coordination ability, the 60,000 to 70,000 troops were arranged smoothly.

Today, the isolation period is over. Except for a small number of soldiers who need to continue to be isolated, most of the soldiers in the Northern Expedition can follow Liu Bei back home.

The Han army camp was filled with the laughter of the soldiers. The soldiers in each camp were packing their bags. Of course, not everyone was happy.

In a remote camp, Zhou Shufang was packing his luggage alone. Compared with the bustle during the previous construction of the dam, now only he and three other colleagues were left in the tent.

Malaria not only took away Zhang Wu Zhang, but also took away his comrades in the same army. After those few of them were detained in the malaria camp, he lost contact with them. Half a month later, I received a notice that four of my colleagues had died of illness.

He had not been bitten by mosquitoes since he was a child, but he survived alone when four of his classmates fell ill with malaria. Four fellow villagers probably fell ill and died, and he was the only one left. The isolation ended today and when he was about to return to his hometown, he felt a lot of emptiness in his heart.

Five people left home and one returned home. How sad, this may be the misfortune of troubled times!

Zhou Shufang was taciturn. He packed his own luggage first, and then packed the clothes of the four fellow villagers.

Although the bodies were burned by fire, the clothes and clothes they left behind can be given to their families for burial. It was Huo Jun's strong suggestion to bring the clothes and clothes of soldiers who died of illness or death in battle back to their hometowns.

Troubled times will return to troubled times, but we must always have a caring heart for our soldiers. Otherwise, if you treat the sergeant as nothing, how can the sergeant fight bravely for you?

"Where is Uncle Zhou?"

Just when Zhou Shufang was arranging the clothes of his fellow villagers, Huo Yuan suddenly broke into the tent.

"General!"

Zhou Shufang went out in search of fame. When he saw Huo Yuan, he immediately put down the package and saluted him.

Huo Yuan looked at Zhou Shufang for a few times and said, "Team Commander Zhang Xuanmei, from now on you will be the Captain of Bing Wu."

"what?"

Zhou Shufang's green face showed confusion and he said: "General, I have just joined the army, so I'm afraid it will be difficult for me to be the commander."

Huo Yuan handed the document to Zhou Shufang and said: "There is only one person left in Bingwu today, and you are the only one who is qualified to be the commander. Of course, when you return home this time, you need to recruit more soldiers in Bingwu."

"promise!"

Zhou Shufang was stunned for a moment, and out of desire for the captain, he reached out and accepted the order.

After a pause, Zhou Shufang asked: "May I ask the general, where should I receive the pension mentioned by the governor?"

"The local county and township officials will allocate money to support the living. If the local officials are greedy for money, just return to the army and report it to me." Huo Yuan said.

After saying that, Huo Yuan led left and right out of the camp.

The pension system is not unique to the Southern Han Dynasty. There was a pension system as early as the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. For example, during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, Wu Qi's Military Book emphasized, "If there is a family that is going to die, you should send envoys every year to give your parents hard work, and never forget it in your heart." '

Cao Cao's rapid rise from the Central Plains is related to his early establishment of a pension system for sergeants, that is, "mourning the dead and supporting the living."

In the early days, Liu Bei was in exile in the Central Plains. He was a pure grass-roots team and lacked the logistics of an organized army. It was not until Xiajiangdong, with the help of Huo Jun and Xu Shu, that the pension system was created.

After Zhuge Liang came out, he improved the army logistics under Liu Bei's account based on the previous pension system. Liu Bei's rapid rise from Jiangdong, and in more than ten years he achieved strategic steps such as defending Cao Cao in the north, succeeding Jingzhou, and conquering Bashu in the west. This has a lot to do with the army logistics that Zhuge Liang helped him improve.

In the Southern Han army, whether they died of illness or in battle, anyone who died due to military operations could receive pensions from the local government. In addition to the normal pension, his wife and children are exempt from taxes for sixteen years to ensure their livelihood as much as possible.

After carefully understanding the pension system, Zhou Shufang relieved his worries. It was enough for those who died of malaria to have the same pension benefits as those who died in battle!

The soldiers of each battalion packed their bags and prepared to return home. However, Huo Jun, who was responsible for supervising the treatment of malaria, was unable to return home. He was now saying goodbye to Liu Bei, who was about to return home.

The sun shines brightly on the earth, and the fertile water sparkles.

By the river, Huo Jun and Liu Bei were strolling together, with their attendants holding their horses behind them.

Liu Bei held the hilt of the sword in his hand and sighed: "There have been no new deaths in more than ten days. The malaria has subsided. It is time for Lai Zhongmiao to supervise the treatment."

"It depends on everyone working together to fight malaria. This is not the result of Jun alone." Huo Jun said modestly.

Liu Bei stopped and looked at Huo Jun's angular face. He couldn't help but feel curious and asked: "Zhong Miao is proficient in strategy and government affairs. He knows the changes in the weather and the situation, and he knows the changes in the mountains and rivers. The power in his chest can cover it." It is beyond the reach of human beings. I wonder where this lifelong learning comes from?”

After a pause, Liu Bei smiled and said: "I have traveled far and wide, and I have seen many heroes and talents, but there is no one who can compare with you in this life!" Having worked with Huo Jun for more than ten years, Liu Bei thought he saw Huo Jun's ability clearly, but unexpectedly Huo Jun can always give him a surprise. If malaria breaks out, Huo Jun actually knows something about malaria. He even wrote the "Epidemic Control Sutra" that can save countless people, and his talents exceeded Liu Bei's knowledge.

Huo Jun kept smiling and said: "Kong Ming sat alone in the palace and discussed the changes in the world with the wise men. He had to meet the Lord of Ming and apply what he had learned. In the market, merchants, tourists, and magicians came and went. Jun was not ashamed to ask questions, and he browsed many books. , Only then can we have the learning of today.”

"Kong Ming?"

Liu Bei muttered, and suddenly felt lucky and said: "I wandered around the Central Plains alone, wandering in Jingchu. Fortunately, I have the help of Zhongmiao and Kongming. Without these two kings, I would not have been prepared for this day."

"The king praises me so much that I feel ashamed!"

Huo Jun said: "If the king appreciates it, I am afraid that one of Jun and Kong Ming will work as an official in the market, and the other will farm and fish in Longzhong. In ancient times, there were many horses capable of thousands of miles, but few Bo Le."

Thank you Liu Bei for your words of appreciation. What Huo Jun said is true.

Although Liu Bei was deficient in treating people with rewards and punishments, he was able to recognize people, use them, and dare to use them. Don't underestimate this quality. Anyone who meets a suspicious and controlling monarch will inevitably have a fierce collision with Huo Jun.

If a monarch wants to establish a career, in addition to his ability, he should also have a broad mind and be able to tolerate what others cannot tolerate.

Among the core figures of the Shu Han Dynasty, such as Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Fazheng, Wei Yan and others, which one is a person with perfect temperament?

Let alone these people, even ordinary people have temperaments.

If Liu Bei hadn't been open-minded, tolerant of everyone, and entrusted with important responsibilities, how could the foundation of the Shu Han be achieved?

Those who achieve great things are not broad-minded, so how can they gather people?

Therefore, everyone who achieves great things, whether Cao Cao or Liu Bei, has a broad mind. However, in comparison, Liu Bei is even better than Cao Cao.

Where is the victory?

Liu Bei dared to trust and employ people; Cao Cao was worried about the rebellion of his generals, so he forcibly promoted the generals of the Cao family to guard the borders. All capable civil and military officers were given to the generals of the Cao family.

The difference between Cao and Liu made Huo Jun mostly grateful to Liu Bei for his appreciation and respect. If it were Cao Cao, I guess Huo Jun would have to wipe his ass for the generals of the Cao family now. How could he be as proud as he is today?

Liu Bei nodded with satisfaction and said with a smile: "I have been fighting in the Central Plains for many years. I hate the land without a foundation. I traveled to the south and finally established a foundation. The Northern Expedition failed this time, but with the unity of the emperor and his ministers, there is hope of recovering the Central Plains."

Then, Liu Bei changed the subject and warned: "Now the malaria has subsided and the army has returned home. Zhongmiao still has to stay in Hefei, which must be very hard. However, Zhongmiao has the important responsibility of the country and must not enter the malaria camp lightly. "

"Jun will remember it!" Huo Jun replied.

Zero growth for half a month means that malaria transmission routes have been cut off. However, this does not mean that malaria has disappeared. There are still malaria patients today. How to deal with and treat malaria patients has always been Huo Jun's top priority.

A total of nearly 7,000 people in the Southern Han army suffered from malaria, and more than 5,000 people died from malaria. However, there were not no people who recovered during this period. With the joint efforts of Nanhan doctors, more than 20 people with extremely mild symptoms recovered.

There are more than a thousand people living in the malaria camp today, and these people need Huo Jun to stay and deal with the aftermath.

"correct!"

Liu Bei stopped and said, "I want to let Shi Yuan serve as the deputy governor of Jianghuai. I wonder what Zhong Miao thinks?"

"Kong Ming wrote a letter, urging Gu Na to join the administration of Jiaoling. Zishan was appointed as the governor and had been in charge of Jiaozhou for many years. If he wanted to bring peace to Jiaozhou, he had to do it. Therefore, Gu Na, after thinking deeply about the candidates, Shi Yuan may be appointed as the deputy governor of Jianghuai to assist Zhongmiao in governing. Huai."

Huo Jun pondered for a while and said: "Kong Ming persuaded the king to accept Jiaozhou and rule it, and Jun thought it was feasible. Shixie has been entrenched in Jiaoling for a long time, and Jiaozhou was obedient and secretly rebellious. If we win Pingjiaoling, we can strengthen our country."

After a pause, Huo Jun said: "However, if we want to conquer Jiaozhou, it is a good idea to mobilize troops when Shi Xie dies of illness. Shi Xie's body is generous and has won the hearts of Jiao Ling, so it is not suitable to use troops lightly. If the king rushes to seek friendship, he cannot rush to surrender. Ridge, there will be great chaos."

"Today's attack on Jiaoling Ridge should be unexpected, and the battle should be quick and decisive. If you wait too late to see what happened, your plan will be difficult to succeed, and you will be defeated!"

As the overlord of Jiaozhou, Shixie controlled the five counties of Jiaozhou except Cangwu before Bu Zhi went south. When Bu Zhi seized Nanhai County, Shi Xie had four counties in his hands.

Shi Xie's home base was in Jiaozhi (now Hanoi), separated by mountains from Cangwu and Nanhai counties in Liu Bei's hands. If they can't get to Jiaozhou quickly and wait for Shi Xie to react and gather the strength of Jiaozhou to resist, Huo Jun is worried about being trapped in the rain forest and a tug-of-war.

If a tug-of-war breaks out, it will be a nightmare if the Southern Han Dynasty is unable to send a large number of troops south due to Cao Cao's presence in the north. Not only did it seriously shake Liu Bei's prestige, but it also affected the subsequent Northern Expedition.

Historically, Sun Quan entered Jiaozhou early, but he waited until Shi Xie died of illness to take action against Jiaozhou. Taking advantage of the fact that Jiaozhou was leaderless, the Shishi governors in various places took charge of their own affairs, and then they conquered Jiaozhou.

Hearing this, Liu Bei nodded in agreement and said, "What Zhong Miao said is indeed a good plan. It should not be too late to attack Jiaoling now."

"Write down the advice given by Huo Du!"

"promise!"

Then, Liu Bei shook his head and sighed, saying: "As I get older, I forget more things, so I can only do it with pen and ink."

Standing beside Liu Bei, Huo Jun caught a glimpse of Liu Bei's gray hair on his temples and felt something in his heart.

It's not that Liu Bei doesn't want to wait for Shi Xie to die, but that Liu Bei is getting older. Now he is fifty-seven years old. In order to leave room for mistakes for future generations and a more stable territory, Liu Bei must take action against the local separatist forces.

After all, Liu Bei seemed to control the six states of Yi, Jiao, Yang, Jing, Liang, and Xu. However, in fact, Liu Bei's rise was too rapid, and some independent forces still existed under his rule. Such as the Jiaozhou Shi clan, Liangzhou Shen clan, and Yizhou Nanzhong old local forces.

As the most powerful local force under Liu Bei's rule, the Jiaozhou Shi clan must be eradicated first and cannot be left to the successor Liu Chan.

As for Shi Xie being twenty-four years older than Liu Bei, it was beyond Liu Bei's ability to consider. After all, Zhao Tuo, the previous separatist regime in Jiaoling, had ruled for eighty-one years. Zhao Tuo survived the deaths of Ying Zheng, Liu Bang, Lu Pheasant, Liu Heng and other Central Plains rulers, and lived until the period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty.

And Liu Bei is no better than Sun Quan. Sun Quan is forty-five years younger than Shi Xie, so he is naturally confident that he can survive Shi Xie's death. Liu Bei has been fighting all his life, and he has suffered many hidden injuries from swords and arrows. He knows his own body well.

Of course, the external environment is also different. In history, after Sun Quan captured Jingzhou, he turned against Shu Han in the west and Cao Wei in the north. How could he have the energy to pay attention to Jiaozhou.

Liu Bei is different now. Apart from the Northern Wei Dynasty, he has no other opponents. In order to consolidate the rule of the Southern Han Dynasty, he must take action against Jiaozhou.

(End of this chapter)