Dawn of the Empire

Chapter 464 87 Wei Jun Gu Fang Mausoleum - 3

At Xiazhou Wharf, more than a dozen large ships were moored together, where the Baoyi Army replenished the last batch of food and grass.As expected by Zhao Xingde, the Jiangling navy did not stop the Ezhou ships from going westward, and even after paying enough money to buy the way, they didn't even board the ship for inspection.The river is wide, the river level is gentle, and the misty white mist shrouds the river, making it very quiet.Going further west, the beach is full of rapids, the channel is very narrow, the river is turbulent, and the bottom of the water is densely covered with reefs.If you want to go upstream, you can't rely on sails and oars alone, you have to hire trackers to drag wooden boats on the shore.Therefore, the Baoyi Army stayed in Guizhou for several days, and the various ministries that sailed separately gathered together again.Zhao Xingde also summoned the generals again to discuss how to rescue Fangzhou.

Lu Mingyu said worriedly: "Received the news from the Qin village master that the Liao bandits who attacked Fangzhou had powerful cavalry, and the Liao general was very cautious. He sent troops to raid the countryside with more than a hundred cavalry, and each escorting food and grass was more than two thousand cavalry. Qin Zhaizhu and the others tried to fight the Liao army's baggage, and as a result, many brothers were killed and injured, and finally retreated." Seeing someone's face showing disdain, he hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Is there any escort?" More than a thousand Liao rebels cavalry, Qin Zhaizhu and others went to rob food, Qin Zhaizhu killed more than 2000 brothers and more than 400 people were killed or injured. He didn’t say how many Liao rebels were killed or injured, but in my opinion, I’m afraid they didn’t kill a few Liao rebels.” All the generals were in an uproar.

Zhao Xingde nodded, the Liao army had won consecutive battles and their morale was extremely high, it was indeed not easy.

"There are [-] soldiers and horses in Xiangyang who didn't go to rescue Fangzhou, why let us go." Someone complained in a low voice.

"Qin Zhaizhu said that the Liao thieves have more than 5000 horses, and every time they escort food and grass, there are more than 2000 horses. In addition, there are more than 1 signed troops from outside the mountain." Lu Mingyu continued.Fangzhou is one of the poorest places on Jinghu North Road. The so-called poor mountains and rivers are full of troublemakers, so there are many bandits and bandits.Fangzhou is a mountainous area, and the place is remote. Outsiders are called "from outside the mountains".

Hearing that the enemy army is strong, the faces of all the generals are a little grim.Originally, I thought it was the treacherous ministers in the court, and the officers and soldiers were incompetent. At this point, they will soon fight the Liao soldiers, and everyone's psychology has become heavy.This is also the reason that after the Liao army occupied Henan and Hebei, rebel armies in various states and counties surged up, but if there were no backbones in the rebel army, they would often collapse at the touch of Liao soldiers.

Zhao Xingde observed his words and expressions, and found that these newly recruited subordinates were faintly afraid.The water bandits have always taken advantage of the profit, and left when they lost the enemy. Although they have become an official army now, it is a bit difficult for them to attack a strong enemy.Seeing this situation, Zhao Xingde pressed down the plan to be discussed, and ordered: "Go to the bow of the boat first to see the master who pulls the strings."

The generals didn't expect him, they all got up and followed behind Zhao Xingde.At this time, two to three hundred trackers had gathered on the river bank, and the trainers didn't know that it was an official ship of the Yunguan Army.At this time, the south of the Yangtze River was already warm, but the area around the Three Gorges was still cold in spring. These trackers were barefoot, ragged, and their backs were scarred by ropes.Jiang Feng faintly sent voices of "Dear guest, do you want to stretch?"

"The fleet will go to Dengying Gorge, Huangniu Gorge, Kongling Gorge, and Niuganmafei Gorge. After leaving the Bingshu Baojian Gorge, they will go ashore in the north of the river." Shi Jingkui pointed to the channel, "We need to use more masters, and double the number of boats. Only money can be used to recruit enough manpower. One ship uses 900 trackers, and there are more than [-] trackers in total.” The accounts of the Baoyi Army were made public, because Zhao Xingde did not want to force the recruitment of teachers, and it cost a lot of money to hire trackers. Shi Jingkui also explained to the generals in order to avoid criticism from the generals.

Zhao Xingde nodded, and agreed: "We don't want to bully them, just give them double wages." He turned his head and said to Lu Mingyu, Luo Xian and the other ten generals, "These stretchers are poor customers, earning their lives in the river for a day. The income is only more than 200 yuan. Originally, the trackers did not need to pay taxes, but since the northern captives invaded, the imperial court raised taxes in order to raise troops and quell the chaos. It’s just porridge and vegetables.” His tone was tinged with desperation, “The Liao army occupied Henan and Hebei, and the imperial court will use a large number of troops. This tax will definitely increase in the future, and coupled with the tyrannical government Chen Xiangyin, The subordinate officials worked their hands up and down, and the power of the people in the southeast was exhausted, and the people were 'forced' to sell their sons and daughters, and it is not uncommon for them to exchange sons for food."

"It's really unreasonable!" Xia Mao'er said angrily.He was originally a fisherman on the water, but he fell into the grass because he was not angry with the high taxes. He heard that the tax would be increased again, so he couldn't help but complain.Other generals also have compassion.Luo Xian's ten eyes 'lu' thought deeply, not knowing why Zhao Xingde mentioned this matter, so he listened intently to what he said next.

Zhao Xingde took a deep breath of the 'damp' air, the river wind made the corners of his eyes a little moist, he looked at Xia Mao'er, and said with emotion: "Last time you went to Jiayu County to pay, the taxes paid in the county, we More than half of the clothes on our bodies and the food in our mouths still come from these ordinary people. Now we are only a land of dozens of states and counties, and with the strength of the people of dozens of states and counties, what the common people bear is impossible It is a heavy burden to bear. No matter how strong the Liao army is, those of us who serve as soldiers and eat food can only do it knowing that it cannot be done, and we must not let down these people who are struggling."

At the end of the words, all the generals understood what he meant, and the few people who had the intention to retreat just now felt a little ashamed in their hearts.Zhang Wudi stretched out his hand and slapped the side of the boat, and said loudly: "We're going to fight Liaogou!" Xia Mao'er also said: "I frowned, and in my next life I will become a cow and a horse!" "Lu Mingyu and Luo Xianshi were also deeply impressed, Luo Xianshi clasped his fists and said: "People in the grass don't know the general idea, General Zhao please issue an order to forgive me!" "

Zhao Xingde said with a smile: "What's the crime? When Zhao went to the battlefield for the first time, he was so frightened that his face turned pale."

The generals laughed along with him.Although I don't know when Zhao Xingde went to the battlefield for the first time, but since the Baoyi Army became an army, he has handled all affairs in the army in an orderly manner. Lu Mingyu, Luo Xianshi and others saw it in their eyes, and they knew that Zhao Xingde was not Zhao Kuo who talked on paper, but experience A member of the Rich Veteran.

Back in the cabin, the generals calmed down and discussed together how to defeat the Liao army in Fangzhou.Luo Xianshi suggested to find a way to cut off the Liao army's grain road, but Lu Mingyu objected that the Liao army had stored a large amount of grain and grass, and the number of grain shipments was not frequent, and the grain road was well protected. .Lu Mingyu also suggested to harass the Liao army with suspicious soldiers to lure them to attack, and then find a dangerous valley to set up an ambush. It is inconvenient for the Liao army cavalry to fight in the mountains, and they will suffer a lot.Luo Xian said that setting up an ambush must never happen again. After the Liao army suffered losses in the mountains, they would definitely not be fooled again.If the Liao army only stayed in the plains around Fangzhou City, it would not be easy to break the enemy and clear the siege.Most of the generals were thieves, and none of the strategies they came up with to defeat the enemy was to fight head-to-head with the enemy.Zhao Xingde nodded inwardly, secretly thinking that the ethos of the Baoyi Army is mixed, if he really wants to expel the northern captives in the future, he still needs to be able to fight tough battles.

Luo Xianshi saw that Zhao Xingde was noncommittal, so he smiled and said: "General Zhao is silent, if you have a plan, you may as well tell me to wait." At this time, Lu Mingyu and the others woke up, it seemed that they were too active just now, and they turned Zhao Xingde fall aside.

Zhao Xingde said with a smile: "One person counts the short, and everyone counts the long. Zhao just wants to listen to everyone's plan. I also have an idea for the strategy to defeat the enemy. Let's refer to it together." He paused and saw the generals They all listened intently, then pointed to the map of the mountains and rivers in Fangling and said: "I see that this place is surrounded by towering towers, but there is a flat plain in the middle, and the rivers intersect, which is a good place for water attack. "

This sentence awakened the person in the dream. Fangling has suffered the most floods since ancient times. From the Zhou Dynasty to the Spring and Autumn and Warring States, the place name was called "Fangzhu". It was not until the Qin Dynasty that the "Fang" of "Fangzhu" was changed to a house. The "room".Although the generals don't know this allusion, Lu Mingyu, Luo Xianshi and others have a general understanding of the geography of Jingxiang. They know that Fangzhou is flooded all year round, so that flood control garrisons are spread all over the prefecture. Report immediately.Now that the Liao thieves have invaded, these flood control soldiers have all withdrawn, but the water in those lakes is still there.

"Flooding the Seventh Army!" Zhang Wudi slapped the table and said.

Lu Mingyu pondered and said: "The Liao thieves are good at riding, and we are good at water warfare. After we join forces with Qin Zhaizhu and the others, let Qin Zhaizhu point out a few ravines as places to intercept water. There will be peach blossoms in this season. The mountains and rivers have piled up, let's dig the embankment again and drown these Liao thieves!" His eyes were shining brightly, full of admiration.

Luo Xianshi smiled and added: "Even if you don't drown, the Liao thieves' horses are running in the mud outside Fangzhou City. We won't suffer from the war!" Zhao Xingde actually thought of most of what the generals said, but he taught others Teaching a man how to fish is better than giving fish.He came up with this idea, but he didn't want to do it all by himself, but guided these bandit-born generals to perfect this strategy step by step.Seeing that the generals had a very heated discussion, Zhao Xingde smiled and nodded.

At this time, Shi Jingkui said worriedly: "If you attack with water, I'm afraid the flood will harm the people." Zhao Xingde also frowned slightly.

Luo Xianshi said: "The people near Fangzhou, instead of going to the mountains to avoid disaster, they were pulled by the Liao bandits to sign the army. There are not many people left on the dam. Besides," he pointed to the several vertical and horizontal rivers, "here There are so many rivers, and when the water rises, it will take half a day at most, and then all of them will be poured out. If you go out, the people will not be killed if they take shelter for a while, and this period of time is enough for us to deal with the Liao thieves."

Shi Jingkui nodded, agreeing with Luo Xianshi's statement.This water attack strategy, because the terrain is the most important, can't make a more detailed plan until it joins the local snakes in Fangzhou, Qingfeng Village and Taiping Village.The generals of the Baoyi Army discussed some ways to expand the results of the battle, such as sending special agents to mix with the signed army, making "chaos" together when the fire broke out, blocking the main road from the housing state to the outside of the mountain after the war, and preventing the Liao army from escaping, etc.After having a strategy to defeat the enemy, everyone's confidence doubled, and they were particularly energetic when discussing matters, and they had the momentum to destroy this dynasty.