Late Tang

On April 25th, Li Jing led the fifth battalion of the Zhendong Army's Zhongxiang to be transported by sea from the Nutao Battalion to the East Sea of ​​Qingzhou.The army did not enter the Yellow River, but entered Jishui, one of the four great rivers in the Tang Dynasty.When Jiyu was in the Tang Dynasty, it was called Sidu together with the Yellow River, Yangtze River and Huaishui River.Du means a big river, a big river with its own source and an independent estuary at the end.Jishui originates from the Taihang Wangwu in the east of the river, then passes through the bottom of the Yellow River, enters the Henan Province of the Central Plains, goes all the way east, and finally runs parallel to the Yellow River, passes through Shandong, and finally flows into the sea from Qingzhou.

The Zhendong army entered Jishui in a flat-bottomed sand boat, went upstream, set off from Shamen Town, and arrived at Bochang City in the northwest corner of Qingzhou in only three days.It is less than three hundred miles away from Yacheng in Qingzhou.

Bochang City is a large county in Qingzhou, with a population of more than 2 households.Fang Deshan, the county magistrate, is an old county magistrate who is over fifty years old and has gray beard and hair.He is a well-learned man, full of economics, and his articles are brilliant.It's a pity that the fate was not good, and there were no less than ten imperial examinations in a row, and he took part every year, but failed every year.In the end, he couldn't help being disheartened, so he defected to the Jieshuai shogunate in Ziqing Town and became a small staff member.This is also a choice for most of the literati in the middle and late Tang Dynasty to become an official. They must first make a name in the shogunate, and then they can enter the court smoothly.

Fang Deshan worked in the shogunate of Ziqing Town for more than ten years, and gradually became a promotion official.Until the last Jieshuai Yu Yu was in office, he appreciated his literary talents very much, so he recommended him as the magistrate of Bochang County. He has been in office for two years, and he has done a good job here. He is a clean and honest official and has done a lot of practical things , there is a lot of prestige in the local area.On this day, he was sitting in the hall as usual, but there was an urgent report from the patrolling soldiers in the county, saying that a large army had marched to the camp not far outside the city, the flags were like a sea, and there were countless soldiers and horses.

At this time, the news had spread like the wind, and many nearby people panicked and hid their children on their backs up the mountain, and the city of Bochang was also in panic.Although it looked like that, the army looked like an official army, and the soldiers were well-armed and not bandits.But this cow head, soldiers and horses crossing the border is not much different from bandits haunting. Wherever they go, they have to pay a tribute.

Fang Deshan quickly ordered the four cities to be closed, and sent a group of patrolmen to investigate carefully to see what the banner was.Soon after the spies came back, they reported that the soldiers and horses were setting up camp. The soldiers and horses were restrained in the camp and did not dare to get too close. They only saw the three-character banner of Zhendong Army and a large flag with the character Li.

"What about the flags that the generals recognize?"

"It seems to be written, Jiedu Ya Jiedu Pioneer Guerrilla General Shangqi Duwei Chong Daxie Village Brigade and Horse Envoy Plus Township Envoy and Zhendong Army Envoy Li!" The patrol head is literate, but He read out the official name on the long flag in one breath, and almost didn't catch his breath.

Fang Deshan thought about it carefully, Da Xie Zhai soldiers and horse envoys, could it be that he was talking about Li Jing, the protégé that Engong accepted when he was in Dengzhou?But when did Li Jing become the military envoy of Daxie Village, and he also added the suppressing envoy, and he was actually the envoy of the Zhendong Army that he had never heard of.He brought so many people here, so it shouldn't be because of the rebellion.After much deliberation, since he is the disciple of his benefactor, he should bring some food and wine to comfort the soldiers when he leads the soldiers.

Immediately, some officials and staff in Bochang City were summoned, as well as some famous patriarchs and heads of the city, and together they pooled three thousand coins, ten pigs, hundreds of sheep, three hundred grains, and dozens of Che Jiu went out of the city and sent them to the barracks.

Li Jing was in the camp when he heard Zhao Jiang reported that there were county magistrates and city officials in Bochang city outside the camp, as well as some patriarchs and chiefs, who came to comfort the army. He smiled and got up to see him.

Fang Deshan saw a young general leading a large group of officers out of the camp, and the groups of soldiers behind him were even taller, so he swallowed his throat involuntarily, and stepped forward to explain his purpose in a low voice.Finally looking at Li Jing, he said again: "Originally, the old man was the former chief of staff of Yu Gong, and was recommended by Yu Gong to be the magistrate of this county two years ago. Dare I ask, is the general the same as General Li Jing, a student of Yu Gong?"

"I am Li Jing, but I didn't expect Fang Mingfu to be an old teacher of my family. It would be rude not to go to pay a visit."

After meeting again, the relationship between the two became much more cordial. The other people from Bochang couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief when they saw that the county magistrate was able to establish a relationship with this young general who was leading an army.Fang Deshan said: "I was so ignorant and ignorant in Bochang that I didn't even know that Ji Yu's brother had already become the military envoy of Daxie Village and the envoy of Zhendong Army, and he had such a strong soldier under him."

Li Jing smiled lightly: "The military envoy of Daxie Village has just been promoted. In addition, I led the army here this time because Song Jieshuai and Wang Ya will transfer my troops to the second state of Ziqi to pacify the Hongbalang bandits. I am the envoy of Zhendong. Because of the large number of soldiers and horses, my department was able to obtain the title of Zhendong Army."

Just as he was talking, another guard from outside reported that another team had come outside the camp, escorting a lot of wine, meat, cattle and sheep, saying that they were here to reward the laborers.

Both Li Jing and Fang Deshan were a little surprised. This place is at the top of the northwest tip of Qingzhou. Apart from Bochang, there are only Qiancheng County tens of miles to the south, or Gaoyuan County in Zizhou. "Who is coming?"

"The person who came here claimed to be the Marquis of Yu under the command of General King Qingzhou, whose surname was Li. He said that he was ordered by General Wang Ya to wait here specially for our troops who went to Ziqi to suppress the bandits, and reward us for our labor."

Hearing that it was Wang Jingwu's subordinates, Li Jing frowned slightly.He turned his head to look at Fang Deshan: "Brother Fang, have you found these people these days?"

Fang Deshan shook his head: "I haven't heard of these people these days, but a caravan came to Bochang City earlier today and spent a lot of money to buy a lot of wine, meat, cattle and sheep, it seems that they bought it. "

Li Jing was a little suspicious, since he was a labor force, why wasn't he aboveboard, but instead used his identity as a merchant when buying things before.Another key point is that he had previously released rumors that he would take a boat upstream from the Yellow River and go directly to Zizhou to suppress the bandits. Now the other party actually came here directly. It seems that things are not that simple.Li Jing said: "Please!"

On the one hand, he said to Li Liang, Guo Cheng'an and the others: "Everyone be more careful in a while, I feel that things are not very simple."

Not long after, Zhao Jiang led people to lead the group of people into the camp. First, a man in his 30s dressed as a green-robed official, followed by a very young schoolboy, followed by about a hundred soldiers. , and more than [-] folk husbands who lead the cows and carry the wine.

The green-robed officer directed the people to put away the rewards for the laborers, stepped forward a few steps, and cupped his hands to Li Jing, saying: "Li Zhen, the Marquis of Yu in the Yamen of Qingzhou, was ordered by General Wang Ya to prepare some meager gifts and wait here. Li Bing and horse envoys who went to Ziqi to suppress the bandits! Kowtow to the general!"

Li Jing had noticed it a long time ago. At this time, he was serious about Li Zhen, but felt that he had an extraordinary bearing and spoke very politely.Moreover, he is a civil servant, but he has the smell of a soldier on his body.Looking at the small guard behind him, he is young, but his bearing is even more extraordinary, especially those eyes, as soon as he comes in, he looks at the situation in the camp and the positions of the guards from time to time.The one hundred soldiers behind him were not simple. Although they were only wearing some worn-out war robes and not even armor, Li Jing led so many soldiers, how could he not be able to tell at a glance that these people were all elite veterans.

"Please sit down!" Li Jing said quietly.

Li Zhen stood respectfully but did not sit down, he just presented a list of rewards.Li Jing only took one look before accepting the gift. "Everyone is so caring, I will thank General Wang Ya when I go back. For your hard work, it is better to go to the rear camp and have a cup of tea first." He called Zhao Jiang and led them over.

When the crowd left, Li Liang, the staff officer who had been standing behind Li Jing just now, immediately whispered in his ear: "Something is not right, I know that Marquis of Yu, Li Zhen, just now. He is not a Marquis of Yu in Qingzhou Yamen, but should be the Jinwu Guard of the capital." Cao participated in the military."

"How do you know? Maybe it's possible to admit it wrong." Li Jing also thought of a character at this time, but said in disbelief.

"It's impossible to be wrong, he is my elder brother, how can he admit his mistake." Li Liang said seriously.

Li Liang, Li Zhen, Jin Wuwei, Li Baozhen, and Li Jing finally confirmed it all of a sudden. No wonder he always felt a little strange when he saw Li Liang for the first time, but now he understands everything.Li Liang is the younger brother of Li Zhen, both descendants of Li Baozhen, the famous general of Xingtang Dynasty.And the reason why Li Zhen always made him feel this way was that Li Zhen was not a simple person. In the late Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties, Li Zhen was an important advisor to Zhu Wen of the Later Liang Dynasty.Li Zhen and Zhu Wen's other counselor, Jing Xiang, is known as the double jade counselor of the Houliang.Jingxiang was once known as the number one counselor of the Later Liang Dynasty in the late Tang Dynasty in history, and Li Zhen is as famous as him, which shows that this person is by no means an ordinary person.

But Li Zhen is still in the Jinwu Guard. According to Li Liang, Li Zhen should be the eighth-rank junior official of the Jinwu Guard riding Cao Shen's military.How could he suddenly appear here, pretending to be a little Yuhou under Wang Jingwu's subordinates?

He stretched out his hand to summon Zhao Jiang, "Go and invite General Pei right away, and ask him to immediately dispatch the guards to surround Li Zhen and the others. Remember, don't make any noise."

Turning around, he said to Li Liang and Guo Cheng'an, "What do you two think is going on?"

Guo Cheng appeased Xu and said: "The old man thinks that Wang Jingwu has already discovered our false plan to destroy Guo. In fact, it is because we sent too many troops this time. If Song Wei didn't insist, it would have been the best thing to do." It’s better to bring more than a thousand soldiers and horses here, so that we won’t startle the snake. But now we come with six or seven thousand soldiers and horses, anyone will be awakened, let alone someone like Wang Jingwu.”

Li Liang also nodded: "I agree with Secretary Guo, the matter has been exposed. I guess Wang Jingwu must be in a hurry right now, maybe he is going to attack Song Wei and the others first."

"That's right." Guo Cheng'an said, "These people are probably here to delay us. If my predictions are correct, Wang Jingwu's opponent will only be in one or two days. Then we will arrive at Qingzhou as planned , but if Song Jieshuai and the others are defeated, there will be no point for us this time."

Li Jing shook his head: "We can't just sit back and watch things develop like this. If Wang Jingwu wins, it won't do us any good. Everyone think of a way to reverse the current situation!"

(To be continued)