Dawn of the Empire

Chapter '8 Qing'e between Xian Hao (2)

The Suzhou Isthmus is narrow, and the imperial court of the Liao Dynasty built the side walls with rammed earth and sharpened wooden piles, and built an earthen city with a circumference of more than ten miles.However, the original side walls and the earthen city were extremely crude, and if the Liao army came to attack with iron barrels and cannons, they would not be able to defend them at all.Therefore, as soon as the Han army occupied Suzhou Pass, they immediately began to rush to build a new city on the Nanshan Highland in the middle of the isthmus.Although the city designed by Zhao Xingde is not big, the total amount of earthwork to be completed is not small.Although more than [-] soldiers and civilians moved to Guannan, Suzhou, only a few thousand people actually participated in the construction of the city. For more than two months, the progress of the city construction has been slow.

"The weather has turned cold, and it will freeze in December," Han Ningshuang stood on a small mound surrounded by generals of the Liaodong Han Army. She looked at the foundation of the city wall that was only half completed, and said in a low voice, "Can you Shall we send more people to build Nanshan City before winter?"

"It's such a big place, no matter how many hands it is, it's just a waste of effort." Wang Xuansu said.There was silence for a while, "Maybe." He stammered, "Maybe General Zhao will come and find a way." He saw Han Ningshuang frowned, and explained, "After the city is repaired, iron barrel cannons will be placed in each artillery position. At that time, it was necessary for General Zhao to give advice in person. But please come earlier. Besides, the situation in Taibai Mountain is already very stable. Even without General Zhao in charge, Old General Wang can handle it."

"In this case, please ask General Zhao to come and give advice." Han Ningshuang said in a low voice.She raised her head and looked north. The narrow Suzhou Isthmus was surrounded by two bays of seawater of different shades and colors. Zhuang chanted loudly and rammed the foundation of Nanshan City's wall bit by bit.To the south of the small new city, more than [-] soldiers and civilians of the Han army are struggling to repair other fortifications.

Suzhou Guannan faces the sea on three sides, and the mountains run through it. It is not easy for the Liao cavalry to gallop. It is close to the Qing Dynasty in the east, and faces the Song Dynasty across the sea in the south.This is the place with the best climate in Liaodong. It is suitable for farming and animal husbandry, and it is most suitable for stationing troops.It is also close to the gateway of Liaodong, Tokyo Liaoyang Prefecture.The Han army used this area as the basis for the uprising, and it has been preparing for more than ten years since surveying the terrain.In the past three months, the most loyal subordinates to the Han family, the elite soldiers accumulated over decades, 10,000+ craftsmen and common people, have been migrating here one after another by sea and land.Viewed from a high place, apart from the Nanshan City that controls the isthmus, the entire Guannan of Suzhou has almost become a large construction site. Almost all the slightly steep hills are rushing to build fortresses. The fields that have been divided into pieces have not faded from the black ashes left by the fire.

The farming season has been delayed this year, and even if the wheat seeds are planted in September, it will be better than nothing in the winter when they are likely to be attacked by Khitan cavalry.This winter, it was not enough to rely solely on the Han army and the common people's grain reserves. Xia Guo shipped [-] shi of grain to Suzhou Guannan, and Han's business searched and purchased at high prices in Huainan, Youzhou, and Taiwan to barely make up enough grain for the winter.The Han army has gone all out to manage this solid rear area, and there is absolutely no room for loss.

"If Mister Zhao doesn't want to come, what should we do?" Wang Xuansu asked in a low voice.The elite soldiers of the Han army gathered in Suzhou, but the area around the Yalu River in Taibai Mountain became empty. In the first battle of Kaizhou, Wang Hengzhi, who presided over the overall situation, was a little weak, but Zhao Xingde stood out. After arriving in Suzhou, Zhao Xingde's reputation grew day by day. Not only did most of the Hanzhai soldiers in Taibai Mountain's Yalu River befriend him, but even the Yalu River Jurchens and even the Communists started business with him.When Wang Xuansu asked such a question, Zhang Liuge, Gao Bolong, Xu Detai and other leaders of the Han army also felt a little complicated.

Han Ningshuang lowered her eyelids slightly.Some of Zhao Xingde's character, words and deeds are hearsay, and some are personal experience.He is not as pedantic as in the legend, and may have some scheming, but he is definitely not a person who disregards the overall situation for the sake of power and profit.

After a moment of silence, she said in a deep voice, "Mr. Zhao, I, Han Ningshuang, can trust him."

After the great victory in Kaizhou, the Khitan people in Liaodong fled to Liaoyang, Shenzhou and other important towns like frightened birds.The General of the Han Army sent Wang Ji, Major General of the Kaizhou Village, to invite Zhao Xingde. During the several hundred li journey from Suzhou to Kaizhou, there was no Khitan cavalry on the way.Just after crossing the border of Muzhou, they ran into the leaders of the Han army who had dispersed to occupy the prefectures and counties.Wang Ji is a trusted guard who has been with Miss Han all the year round, an emissary of the Han army commander's mansion, and the son of the old general Wang Kaizhou. He went to visit General Zhao in Phoenix Mountain. They treated him extremely warmly, and asked him to stay for a few more days before leaving. If it wasn't for the military emergency, the short two hundred miles would probably not be covered in a month.

The officers and civilians that Wang Ji saw along the way were not as dispirited as they used to be. Instead, they were full of vitality and wanted to fight hard.He knew that these changes had a lot to do with Mr. Zhao, whom he had only met for a short time.The admiration for him in my heart increased a bit, and I couldn't wait to see this person.Unexpectedly, Xiaoxing rushed to Phoenix Mountain all the way overnight, but the sergeant told Zhao Xingde and Jin Sima to go to inspect Laiyuan City together.Wang Ji couldn't bear to wait in the cottage, and didn't even have time to eat, so he rushed from Phoenix Mountain to the distant city without stopping.

Just half an hour after the envoys of the Han army left, the pigeon station in Laiyuan County received the news from Fenghuang Village.Zhao Xingde received the pigeon book report, glanced at it, frowned slightly, and handed the scroll to Li Sihai and Jin Changtai who were sitting opposite.

"It seems that the Han army is still not at ease." After Jin Changtai read it, he returned the pigeon book to Xingde.Li Sihai murmured, "If they say they want to do harm, I'm sorry they don't have the guts." Zhao Xingde nodded and said, "In that case, I'll go." Jin Changtai smiled and said, "Big firms do business. , the proprietor is always walking around, and the small business in the shop can be handed over to the shopkeeper. First appease the Suzhou side, and in a few months, I can come back to accompany my wife with peace of mind." The General's Mansion also arranged for sergeants The family members of Chengyingying came to reunite, and everyone in Chengyingying was in a good mood.

"Small business in the shop?" Li Sihai repeated thoughtfully.

"Exactly." Jin Changtai calculated with a smile, "In the First Battle of Kaizhou, 3 Han soldiers besieged the city for more than 60 days, waiting for Ruo 18 hired workers to work for two months. The wages were one hundred ren, equivalent to a dime of silver. The cost of the Han army’s labor in the Kaizhou battle was 36 guan. After deducting the consumption of food and grass, this battle captured nearly [-] guan. The capital invested was doubled. The additional state The county land, wait for it to seize the market. It has done a good deal for the market, so after this battle, everyone is brave."

Zhao Xingde heard him describe it as a philistine, and said with a smile: "It really got into the eyes of money."

Jin Changtai smiled slightly, took a sip of tea and said, "The business of my battalion is even better. The number of sergeants and guards in the expedition battalion is less than [-]. If you participated in the siege of Kaizhou for two months, it is also counted as [-] days. The cost of labor It's six thousand guan, and more than [-] guan have been seized." With one hand on his forehead, he tapped his fingers a few times, pretending to be regretful, "Although the labor of sergeants is much more expensive than that of ordinary servants, there are still The rents for the horses, armor and artillery are not included in the calculation, but these are originally paid by the military government. We have completed the dispatch military affairs to support the Han army, and the military government can be regarded as equal to the principal and profit, and a little profit."

Zhao Xingde rolled his eyes and scolded: "How can the military government be so fussy?"

Jin Changtai ignored him, and said with a smile: "War is like doing business. You have to make money without compensation, and the capital is getting bigger and bigger. For my battalion, this battle has made a lot of money. The cost has almost doubled ten times. Tsk tsk tsk, the small business of logging, smelting, iron, firewood, and charcoal in our shop is not as profitable as burning, killing, and looting. The more such businesses, the better. No wonder those The barbarians all want to go to the Central Plains to plunder, and taking down any prefecture will be more lucrative than this Kaizhou."

Zhao Xingde smiled unconsciously, but Li Sihai clapped his palms and laughed loudly: "Jin Sima is worthy of being from the Army Commander. It is my honor to hear such a grand theory. It should be clear." He took a sip from the cup, and suddenly realized that it was tea. Frowning slightly, he raised his head and said: "I invite the two of you to have a drink at the Upper Linjiang Tower, Brother Zhao is not allowed to refuse."

In the courtyard of Zhao Xingde's mansion next to the Dunhuang scholar's mansion, golden lion-headed chrysanthemums were in full bloom, and two little ones were playing and playing around the lush flowers.Li Ruoxue was sending Mrs. Lu out.Mrs. Lu stopped in front of the door, and said in a low voice: "After my sister went to Liaodong, the houses and yards here are kept as they are. Usually, the transportation department will send people to look after them, and I will also ask people to come and see."

Li Ruoxue smiled, and said softly: "Aunt Liu will come to take care of the house from time to time. If my sister likes the flowers and plants in the courtyard, I will send them to the house." Although it is a long way to Liaodong, her eyes are shining with joy of light.

Mrs. Lu sighed secretly, remembering some rumors, hesitated for a moment, and said in a low voice: "I heard that the country sent fifty pairs of singers to the Liaodong camp. Men are in the barracks, so it is inevitable that they will drink and have fun with the robes. .My sister is over there, if there is something that doesn't go your way, just come to me, and my sister will make the decision for you." Over the past few years, Lu Shi and Li Ruoxue have become like sisters, and naturally they don't want her to suffer any grievances.

Although Lu's words were euphemistic, Li Ruoxue could understand.She smiled sweetly, and put her arm around Lu's: "Thank you sister, Zhao Lang is not that kind of person."