Chapter 219 We are all our own people, it’s okay to be upset

Zhuge Liang and Chen Deng's home letters soon reached Xuzhou.

The Zhuge clan in Langya was actually preparing to move home when the disaster occurred in Xuzhou. Unexpectedly, Cao Cao did not massacre the city in revenge, and thus did not offend the local people and nobles.

Even at the beginning, the government benefited the people and opened warehouses to release grain.

At that time, Cao Cao and all the people in Xuzhou thought that he was going to massacre the city and would not miss any opportunity for revenge, but the result was completely different.

Therefore, the people of Xuzhou actually still feel grateful in their hearts. After all, they spared hundreds of thousands of people in Xuzhou.

Soon the news spread like wildfire. The common people and other nobles heard the news and knew that something big was going to happen. Soon they heard that the people in Jizhou were going to re-register their household registrations.

Many people will understand this news. Most of the noble families in Jizhou are loyal to Yuan Shao, and the important figures in the family and even the family property have been taken away by Yuan Shao when he retreated. It is useless for Xu Zhen to keep them.

It is better to withdraw the slave status among the nobles. After the slaves in the family fled the war, they could still return to the fields of each family to cultivate. For them, farming for themselves and farming for the Han Dynasty were almost the same.

In any case, the grain must be handed over as tax, and he can only keep enough. The slaves have no ambitions in their hearts and can only be loyal. After all, they are destined to die, and it is only by becoming slaves that they can have a bite to eat.

It is not an exaggeration to be a dead soldier for the nobles.

But now that the news has spread, everyone is speculating.

"Re-enter the household registration, the prince wants to have more people."

"Who doesn't want it? Human beings are labor. The income of internal affairs in these years depends on human beings. These slaves can join the army in the future."

"Youzhou and Bingzhou will continue to fight. If we don't need soldiers and horses now, where will the preparations for soldiers and horses come from? Aren't the slaves the best candidates? They can join the army as long as they are found. These people have been in the army for a long time.

A young man with great ambition can be a dead man."

"Those who have slaves in their families should follow the example of Zhuge Biejia and Chen Duwei. Both of them are the confidants of the king. It is said that they informed the clansmen in the family to separate the slaves in the clan, and except for cultivating the fields, the rest formed caravans.

You can travel within the territory of Jizhou, or travel to various prefectures and counties."

"In the future, Jizhou, Yanzhou, Xuzhou and the Huainan part of Yangzhou will probably have to trade back and forth, and there will definitely be prosperity."

"Okay, okay! I will let the slaves in my family form a caravan. Even if they just buy some rice and go north and south, it will be convenient."

Suddenly, within a dozen consecutive days, hundreds of caravans appeared in Jizhou, Yanzhou, Xuzhou and Yuzhou, with more than 20,000 people carrying goods in the caravans and going everywhere. The main products sold were

Food and fodder, as well as condiments used in the kitchen, as well as cloth, ready-made clothing, etc.

The roads are very lively, especially in Jizhou. While the city is being rebuilt and roads are being built, busy traffic can be seen on both land and water roads. At first, it was just to pretend to be a businessman and go there once or twice.

After taking the short-distance route, I later discovered that commercial roads were indeed viable, and the farmland at home did not require so many people to look after, and the roads were indeed safe.

Those Black Mountain bandits, horse thieves, etc. have all disappeared. Gradually, more and more carriages and horses are taking to the road. The business road is full of such a peaceful scene, as if it is back to before the Ling Emperor was still there.

At this time, it was within the mountains outside Yecheng in Jizhou.

There are horses in the stronghold hidden among the mountains and forests, and horse dung can be seen everywhere. There are countless bandits gathered in the deep stronghold. The leader has a thick body, strong hands, wearing a short robe, disheveled hair, and a rough face.

But not ugly.

"General! We really have to surrender!"

"Many brothers have already thought about it. If so many passing caravans are plundered, the food will be enough for a year, and at least tens of thousands of stones can be robbed."

"General, make preparations. Whether you surrender or continue to occupy, we will follow."

"Since the Black Mountain Rebellion, I have been following the general. Although he is defeated now, he has not completely lost power."

"Brothers," Zhang Yan raised his hands, and the chattering voice was immediately suppressed. His voice was very rich, he was brave and capable, agile and prestigious, "If we rob again, we will be in trouble with Xu Bowen.

."

"I have already sent people to inquire about this Xu Zhen. Like you and me, he was born a commoner, but now he is a county prince! He has six thousand households in the city!"

"General of the Han Dynasty, Jizhou Mu."

"When he came to power, he opened warehouses to release grain when he arrived in Jizhou, and took back and resettled the people who had been plundered by Yuan Shao. He was an upright man, self-disciplined, never harmed the people, and did not covet wealth. It is said that this man lived in poverty all his life, and all the money he earned was

The household income is guaranteed and all is used for military supplies and disaster relief."

"Therefore, under his command, he has more than a dozen civil and military officials who can be called celebrities. When officials in various places appoint officials, they focus on their conduct and strive to benefit the people."

"If we plunder, we are going against benevolence and righteousness, and I can't do it."

Although Zhang Yan also came from a poor background, he had read a book and was considered to be both civil and military among the bandits. Otherwise, he would not have been able to secure his position as the leader. This was achieved in exchange for his charisma.

What he says is clear and logical, easy to convince, and he can control the scene in just a few words.

At this moment, Zhang Yan waited for a while and then continued to say: "Instead of writing a letter to Xudu, we might as well send it directly to Xu Bowen."

"He also said in dialect that any bandit can return as a refugee and wait for the favorable policies to be gradually resettled."

"Then we are more than just bandits. We have also helped quell the generals in trouble. It is not an exaggeration to go and join us. We can even help quell the Yuan brothers' troubles abroad!"

This is also the reason why Zhang Yan can always be called a general in the mountain stronghold. Many soldiers still buy it, recognize him as a general, and regard themselves as Han soldiers. Not all of them are mountain bandits.

Of course, now that the warlords are in trouble, bandits everywhere are on pins and needles. What they dream of is that they can be recruited, take advantage of this opportunity to retire and return to their hometowns, and still be able to settle their remaining salaries and live in peace for the rest of their lives.

You won't end up being a bandit all your life and not knowing where to die.

"You're right, listen to the general!"

"Since we submit, we might as well submit to Xu Zhen. We don't have to ask Emperor Xu Du for a title, station our troops and horses in Qinghe, and let our families live in Jizhou."

"There are hundreds of thousands of people here. Since Xu Zhen can even resettle the refugees, if we sincerely plead, we will not sit idly by and ignore it."

"In that case, then join Xu Zhen's army!"

"Submit directly to the Jizhou Army."

Zhang Yan passed through the alliance between Youzhou and Gongsun Zan, and after being defeated by Yuan Shao in the battle, many of his troops dispersed, but there were still hundreds of thousands of people left.

Of course, not all of these hundreds of thousands are elites. Most of them are elderly veterans, as well as the weak and sick. Some are even skinny and skinny, so they are not considered traitors.

Of course, the strength of the army is mixed, and if they are targeted by elite cavalry, it only takes five or six thousand to kill them into lambs for the slaughter, but if they are hidden in the mountains and forests, these people are confident that they can escape.

The hundreds of thousands of people could be said to be a small number or a large number, but they are all the people Xu Zhen wants most right now, and they are mostly laborers, with only a few remnants and old soldiers.

Zhang Yan shook her hair away and looked around. Most of the people she saw were excited and expectant. No one was too depressed. It looked like they had been bandits for too long and wanted to find a chance to surrender.

Not only did Xu Zhen favor him to train him as a new elite, but he also wanted to take advantage of Jizhou to get a new state pastor and become a normal commoner.

So Zhang Yan sent an envoy to set off from the place hidden in the mountain. The group brought gifts to Qinghe to meet Xu Zhen. Compared with Cao Cao, who had defeated the Black Mountain Army, Zhang Yan was more willing to deal with Xu Zhen.

If I remember correctly, when Cao Cao defeated the Black Mountain Army, Xu Zhen was still unknown and had never made a mark.

In fact, Xu Zhen was already in Cao's camp at that time, but he was just a small soldier. He was lucky enough to survive, so when he came back, he was promoted to a junior high school due to his military exploits.

After half a day's journey, the envoy arrived at Qinghe. Xu Zhen's tour just ended and he returned to the Qinghe Yamen.

He received Zhang Yan's envoy and accepted the surrender. He went to the Xudu court and granted Zhang Yan the title of Pingbei General, and would later lead the army to attack Youzhou.

So Xu Zhen got 160,000 soldiers and horses, and after downsizing, more than 70,000 were left. The remaining 90,000 were not elites, but they were all bandits, so their fighting qualities were not high. Xu Zhen ordered Zhang Yan to let the remaining generals lead the army.

Go to Bohai County to garrison and train with Zhang Liao.

On the first day, when Zhang Yan went there in person, he was impressed by the tacit understanding and momentum of Zhang Liao's troops.

It is not an exaggeration to say that we advance together and retreat together, and we are not afraid of death. It is hard to let the tens of thousands of Montenegrin troops see the unrivaled momentum from the three thousand people of the armored cavalry. And indeed, everyone's personal military quality is

It is extremely powerful and cannot be matched by ordinary armies. No wonder it is said to be a victorious army.

After the Black Mountain Army completely surrendered and returned to Jizhou, 90,000 soldiers and horses trained day and night, waiting for the production of armaments, military food supplies to keep up, selection of elites, etc., and dispatched new generals to take office. Zhang Yan was left in Qinghe by Xu Zhen as a general.

.

Occasionally, he can go to Bohai to supervise the training of soldiers and horses and the training of sergeants.

This incident quickly spread throughout the counties and cities. Officials in various places and princes abroad could hear the news, which shocked the government and the public.

Why could Xu Zhen be able to solve the Black Mountain bandits that Yuan Shao couldn't deal with back then, and even ask Zhang Yan to personally send envoys to ask for their surrender? If Xu Zhen hadn't had extremely high requirements for sergeants, he might not have had a reserve of 90,000, or even 160,000.

The number can be directly spread to the world.

What is the charm of Xu Zhen? How can he be virtuous?

He himself only has 80,000 elite soldiers, but now he has another 90,000 in reserve. When these soldiers and horses are trained in a year or two, it will be okay. How can the Yuan brothers in northern Xinjiang be Xu Zhen's opponents? The two of them join forces

They may not be able to stop Xu Zhen's army from attacking, not to mention that the two brothers are still fighting among themselves.

Not to mention that the civil and military officials in Xudu couldn't figure it out, this matter was spread to the south as spying information. Liu Bei in Jingzhou was bored for three nights in a row and couldn't figure out the reason.

Jingzhou, Xinye.

Liu Bei, who failed in his visit to the wise, focused on political affairs. Huang Tian paid off. This autumn came, a good harvest benefited the people, and he gained a lot of popularity.

And because Liu Bei often worked hard at farming, personally inspected the conditions of the fields with the people, and went down rivers to rescue people from danger, he always took the lead in every disaster and gained a good reputation. Even so, the number of soldiers he recruited was only a few thousand.

The ten thousand soldiers and horses stored in Xinye did not have enough food and grass, and the armor was not neat. Fortunately, in recognition of his political achievements, Liu Biao sent 30,000 shi of food, 3,000 pieces of armor and weapons, and 800 high-quality horses.

War horse.

Make Liu Bei slightly richer.

Everyone who is in charge of a territory hopes that their subordinates will prosper.

But Liu Bei never dreamed of hundreds of thousands of soldiers crashing into the camp. He can only say that Xu Zhen's life is really good.

"Oh, jealous..."
To be continued...