Dawn of the Empire

Chapter 5

Ever since tens of thousands of Han troops gathered at Kaizhou City, Zhao Xingde had never said so frankly that Chengying Camp would help Wang Hengzhi to control the troops of other Taibai Han villages.

Opportunity or trap?Wang Hengzhi felt as if there were countless ants crawling behind him, and his heart was pounding.He took a deep breath, his mouth was dry, and after hesitating for a moment, he finally replied with difficulty: "Brothers who have been brothers for decades, it's not easy to tear your face." Looking directly at Zhao Xingde, looking at the Han army huddled in the gap of the city wall in the distance, he smiled helplessly and awkwardly.

A look of disappointment flashed in Zhao Xingde's eyes, and he turned around to give a few orders. Jian Cheng and Ma Rui led two hundred cavalrymen to approach them slowly, and carefully stopped at a distance of twenty or thirty steps away from the Han army, guarding the city. Raid by the Outer Khitan cavalry. "Since this is the case, the rules that should be established must still be established." Zhao Xingde looked forward, "I hope General Wang will help me a little bit." His tone was low, with a hint of awe-inspiring momentum.The two discussed for a while.The sergeants of Xia Guoying rode horses to the four walls of Kaizhou again to count the Han troops who still insisted on the defense area, and told them to cut off the heads of the enemy troops for later use.

"There are still many innocent people in Kaizhou City. We need to send a military law team to prevent these guys from looting wantonly and ruining the reputation of the Han army."

"What General Zhao said is true."

At this time, the Khitan soldiers in Kaizhou City had no intention of defending the city. The military law team composed of Xia Guo cavalry and Kaizhou Han Army entered through the south gate, and erected the banner of the Han Army at the entrance of Fangshi where the Han people lived together, prohibiting other Han villages. The soldiers and horses entered to harass.In the military camps and squares where the Khitans lived, additional military law teams were sent to inspect. They were only allowed to collect property, grain and grass, and it was forbidden to "prostitution" and humiliation of women and children. The Khitans were disarmed and put in custody.After more than an hour, the fighting in Kaizhou City just ended.Wang Hengzhi supervised all the Han troops and common people to extinguish the burning houses in the city. After tossing for a long time, he finally caught his breath when he was shocked to hear that thousands of Han troops had surrounded the state government and insisted on breaking in to separate the state treasury. Money, food and wealth, but Fenghuang Shanzhai guards the state government, but they are not allowed to set foot.Although the Han soldiers were numerous and mighty, but Xia Guoying had a strong army and was supported by iron cavalry and artillery, so the two sides were at a stalemate.The Khitan households in the city had already been robbed once, and the military law team did not let other people move. The state government office was the last piece of meat, and it was also the biggest piece of fat. Therefore, more and more Han troops surrounded the state government office.As for Xia Guoying, under Zhao Xingde's instruction, Liu Zhijian moved four cannons to the Kaizhou North Tower, where the field of view is wide and the field of shooting is excellent, but the muzzle of the cannons is facing the city, just to defend the gate of the state government. The street constitutes a side 'shot' angle.

"Unexpectedly, if that's the case, General Zhao is right." Wang Heng sighed secretly, "It's a pity that he is not a member of our Han army." He hurried to Beicheng where the state government is located with hundreds of soldiers. The places where the Khitan households live together are now empty out of ten rooms.The nearby streets are full of wandering soldiers, and the further they go, the denser the soldiers are.Some were covered with silks and satins that they had snatched from nowhere, some were carrying bulging pockets, some were pushing small carts piled with grain and cloth, and some were driving live sheep and chickens, as if they were going to a market. Many soldiers were still swearing and cheering each other up: "The court of the Liao Kingdom confiscated Han'er's property, and the government treasury in the state government piled up like a mountain of money." They came from Xia Kingdom." Xia Guo is the most reliable and most important ally, Wang Hengzhi never wanted to see the Han army and Xia Guo's camp fighting together, he stared at those soldiers who uttered wild words, He didn't have time to reprimand them, so he rushed forward with his own soldiers and came to the state government office. He was relieved when he saw that there was no blood on both sides.

Comparing the military discipline of Xia Guoying and the Han army, there is a clear distinction.The state government is like a city within a city, the gates are closed, the walls are densely covered with strong bows and crossbows, and swordsmen, shields, and spearmen are standing by behind the battlements.The Han army attacked the city for two months, but failed to capture the southeast corner of Kaizhou. Now the soldiers have robbed a lot of money, and they are even more afraid of death. The more slippery the general, the more unwilling to lose In terms of strength, I only hope that others will go up to die first, and I will pick up a fallen peach.Xia Guoying's cavalry were not stationed in the state government office, but were on standby several streets away in an open place. Occasionally, a team of iron hooves galloped by from time to time, which made many people feel apprehensive.There are more and more Han troops gathering outside the state government office. Ordinary soldiers can only swear at the street outside the wall. A few Han generals are shouting loudly, trying to persuade Xia Guoying to take out the Kaizhou government treasury and share it with everyone. point.

Zhao Xingde stood at the head of the main gate of the prefectural government office, several soldiers carrying big shields crowded in front.He wanted to establish the concept of "discipline" and "reward and punishment" in the Han army. Not only did he personally speak to the Han army, but he always took a step forward, leaning out from the gap in the shield, and letting more Han soldiers will be able to see him.Du Chuijiao, who was in charge of guarding the sword, shield and hand, had a headache and couldn't push his head back. He could only stare closely at the crowd below, secretly thinking that there must be no bastards stabbing people in the back.

Seeing Wang Hengzhi, several generals of the Han village said expectantly, "General Wang, you have high morals and high prestige, so you have to decide for us."

Wang Hengzhi frowned slightly, and walked to the front surrounded by his own soldiers, so as to listen to the voices shouting from inside and outside the Qingzhou Yamen.

"Master Zhao," the voice came to his ears, Wang Heng was stunned for a moment, seeing that it was Wu Da's idiot from Zhengzhou Village who spoke, he couldn't help shaking his head and said: "This stupid man." The shouting in the rough voice was overwhelming The Han army shouted and cursed outside the state office, "We admire Xia Guoying's strength, but you can't eat alone. The brothers dug a ditch outside Kaizhou City for two months, and my village's bare iron hoe broke several times. Ten roots. There is hard work without credit!" The Han troops in each village echoed. "That's right!" "Why eat alone!" There was the sound of gearing up, stomping and scolding, and clashing swords and swords everywhere, and a crossbow arrow "swish" shot out from behind the crowd.

"Not good!" Du Chuijiao broke out in a cold sweat. Fortunately, the arrow was heading in another direction. It was always because of the anger of the crowd, some daredevil hit the crossbow.

Zhao Xingde stood up from behind the shield again, and Du Chuijiao persuaded: "General." Instead of stepping back, he took a step forward and said loudly, "Brothers, Mr. Zhao has something to say first. Phoenix Mountain occupies the state government, not To swallow alone."

Before he finished speaking, a voice from under the state government office shouted: "Who will believe you!" "Everyone, don't be fooled by the people of Xia!" The village was doing something wrong, and he frowned deeply, but they were all old brothers of more than ten years, so it was not easy to scold them in public, so he looked towards the head of the state government office, with a slightly apologetic look in his eyes.Zhao Xingde's speech was interrupted, he paused and raised his left hand.A few sharp-eyed Han generals secretly said, "Not good!" At this time, the artillery of Kaizhou North City Tower fired "Boom——" "Boom——" "Boom——" The sound of the cannons not only suppressed the noise of people Going down, it also brought screams and panic.During the two months of besieging Kaizhou City, the Han soldiers had seen too much about the power of artillery.Everyone scrambled towards the houses next to the street, hid and looked around for a long time, but no shells fell.It turned out that this wave of bombardment was just a warning, so only the gunpowder packs were filled, not the shells.

"General Zhao, I have something to say."

Seeing that Wang Hengzhi finally came out, Zhao Xingde cupped his hands and said with a smile: "General Wang can be a witness that our battalion occupying the government treasury of this prefecture is indeed not for the purpose of monopolizing it, but for distributing it to each village according to the rules." Wang Hengzhi asked: "According to what rules?" With his decades of prestige, it was expected that Wang Heng would come forward to negotiate with Xia Guoying, so other generals of the Han army not only did not interrupt, but instead restrained their own soldiers not to interrupt.

The crowd became quiet, and Zhao Xingde said in a deep voice: "Everyone took down Kaizhou City with blood and sweat. Some people strictly followed the military order and killed many Khitan thieves, but because they entered the city late, they were empty-handed. Some people gave up their defenses and let the Khitan escape. People, just looting in the city, they have already robbed a lot of money. This Kaizhou treasury will be robbed by everyone. Killing thieves and making meritorious deeds always suffers losses, while stealing rape and playing tricks get nothing. Who will want to in the future? Do your best to fight the war!" He looked around the crowd.Several Han generals guarding the southeast, west and east sides of Kaizhou, who had been notified earlier, echoed loudly: "General Zhao is right!" I didn’t catch it!” “That’s right!”

The Han generals who had instigated the Han army to loot the Kaizhou government treasury did not dare to show up rashly at this time, for fear that if they did, they would be accused of being responsible for letting the Khitan people go.Under the ups and downs, the situation outside the state government finally moved in the direction that Zhao Xingde hoped, and Wang Hengzhi also asked cooperatively: "In Mr. Zhao's opinion, what rules should be used to divide the property in the treasury?"

Zhao Xingde smiled slightly, and said loudly: "To tell you the truth, our battalion has already counted the reserves in the treasury. There are a total of 43 shi of grain, 9000 taels of gold and silver coins, and more than [-] pieces of cloth. If you don't believe me, leaders, You can send people in for inspection first." A huge exclamation erupted from the Han army.Hearing that there is so much money in the treasury of the Kaizhou government, several generals of the Han army were so regretful that their teeth became sore, and they cursed themselves for only focusing on looting in the city, as long as they arrived at the treasury of Kaizhou earlier than Xia Guoying , Just push a few carts of money and go, and you will make a lot of money.

"The property in this treasury was originally the people's fat and anointing that my Liaodong Haner had accumulated for decades. Return it to the sufferer, but if you divide him indiscriminately, you will feel sorry for your conscience. Zhao said here that a good man who is serious about fighting should get more points. A Khitan soldier's head will get fifty more points The villages that strictly abide by the military orders should be divided more, and they should stick to the defense line to block the Khitan soldiers and horses in the east, south, west and north. Kaizhou Village subsidized at least 300 to [-] shi of military rations, so Kaizhou Village took half of the remaining money and rations. The artillery fee of our Xia Guoying was [-] rounds per round. In two months, we fired more than [-] cannons. Forty-nine thousand coins first. The remaining money, food, cloth, and Khitan male and female slaves will be divided according to the number of troops sent this time."

The generals of the Han army hadn't woken up yet, Zhao Xingde smiled and asked Wang Heng straightly: "General Wang, how do you look?"