In the early morning drizzle, a carriage drove into the governor's mansion.
When Mrs. Hua heard the news, she was overjoyed and immediately ordered her servants to arrange a family banquet, while Xun Zu was chatting with the guests in the courtyard of the back house.
"Hua Jingheng came the day before yesterday, and today Liangbo has arrived again..." Xun Zu patted his thigh and smiled bitterly.
Hua Ji and Hua Jingheng are the brothers of his wife.
Liu Dan and Liu Liangbo came from the Liu family of Pei State. Their fathers, Liu Hong and Liu Zhonggu, were the second uncles of his wife, Huatiao. Liu Hong's wife was also from the Pingyuan Hua family, and their relationship was extremely close.
"Taizhang, I'm here to save you." Liu Dan said with a serious face.
Xun Zu was shocked.
"Chen Gong has ordered the generals to gather troops and attack Shile soon. Taizhang, let me ask you, can you win this time?"
"Hard to say."
"You actually think so?" Liu Dan said in surprise: "In my opinion, there is almost no suspense in this battle, Shi Le will definitely be defeated."
Xun Zu was silent.
"Taizhang, what are you worried about?" Liu Dan asked from a different angle.
"Liangbo, why do you support Shao Xun so much?" Xun Zu asked rhetorically.
"It's very simple." When Liu Dan heard this question, he immediately smiled and said, "It has been many years since my brother has been in charge of Pei's domestic history. All the orders in the nine counties are issued by my family. What do you think?"
Xun Zu sighed and said, "So you were bribed."
"The bustle of the world is all for profit; the turmoil of the world is all for gain." Liu Dan said: "In every troubled time, there are families that fall and families that rise. In Taizhang, the Liu family of Pei is actually gambling.
I bet that Mr. Chen will win."
"Shao Xun is not a fool. Have you ever thought about why he gave you so much power?" Xun Zu asked.
"It's very simple." Liu Dan said: "Shao Xun did not defeat all the counties and states in Henan and Yan with his sword and gun. When he first gained power, he was in Zhenliang County. Later he was in Luojing, Luoshui Valley, and Xiangcheng.
He fought fiercely with the enemy in this area, and in real terms, only Luonan and Xiangcheng, a dozen counties, were conquered by him."
"After I became the governor of Xuchang, the entire Yuzhou was slowly included through marriage or win-win."
"The land of Yanzhou was barely captured by supporting Sima Yue's widow and his son. Then he fought the Battle of Gaoping with the Xiongnu, which truly stabilized the eight counties of Yanzhou. Shao Xun himself did not capture the counties of Yanzhou one by one.
He just beat away the Huns who came to snatch food from him."
"So -" At this point, Liu Dan looked at his cousin-in-law and said, "Shao Xun is just the leader of the Communist Party of Henan."
What Liu Dan said was quite insightful.
Shao Xun seized the favorable opportunity when the refugees were in rebellion and the Xiongnu invaded. He took advantage of the insecurity of the Henan wealthy people and defeated his competitors through several beautiful battles.
When the local forces saw that he could meet their needs and that his force was quite strong, they took refuge in him.
It's actually that simple.
Because most of the counties were peacefully taken over, the local power structure has not changed significantly, and Shao Xun does not have the ability to control every county one by one - his student soldiers went to serve as officials in unfamiliar places.
With no connections and no money, food, troops or horses, it was impossible to continue.
Therefore, he adopted a strategy to win over local wealthy families to prevent them from joining the enemy.
The Liu family of Pei State seized this opportunity and became the de facto master of the nine counties of Pei State.
They were satisfied, so they supported Shao Xun and were willing to persuade his relatives to surrender for him.
"Liangbo, you don't understand what I really mean." Xun Zu shook his head and said, "Shao Xun can give you power, but he can also take it back."
"So what?" Liu Dan disagreed: "The world is in turmoil, and it is not easy to keep the family business. Let's talk about the future later."
Xun Zu frowned, seeming to disagree.
Liu Dan chuckled and asked, "Taizhang, I once served as an official in Chenliu. Let me ask you, how is this county?"
"There is a gathering of humanities, and there are many well-dressed people." Xun Zu said.
"Were there any big families in the Pre-Han Dynasty?"
Xun Zu thought about it carefully, but it seemed that there was no such thing. Finally he could only say: "Li family, Xu family can be called a powerful family."
"What about the Later Han Dynasty?"
"That's too much." Xun Zu said: "Yu, Liu, Yang, Dong, Cai, Wu, Bian..."
After a little counting, there are always more than ten or twenty, which is in sharp contrast to the two solitary ones in the early Han Dynasty.
In fact, this is caused by the different processes between Liu Bang and Liu Xiu in conquering the world.
Liu Xiu relied too much on powerful people, so that after the founding of the People's Republic of China, he was unable to lose control. The number of powerful clans expanded rapidly. The problem continues to this day. Instead of alleviating, it has become more serious.
"After the establishment of Cao Wei, how many of the sixteen Chenliu clans are left?" Liu Dan asked again.
"Mao, Gao, Dian, Ruan, Cai..." Xun Zu counted.
After calculation, the number has been reduced, and the family changes have been close to one-third. It seems that the war in the late Han Dynasty still had an impact on them.
"Where is Zhi Guochao?" Liu Dan continued to ask.
"Too many." Xun Zu was too lazy to count.
But he knew in his heart that Chenliu's gentry had indeed undergone changes, mainly due to the Jin Dynasty and Wei Nahui.
He also knew that the Chenliu gentry during the Cao Wei Dynasty only declined, but did not disappear. Many of them were still local hegemons, and there were many new nobles.
These upstarts flourished during the fifty years of the dynasty and reached their peak. During the reign of the late emperor, they began to slowly decline. The reason was war.
"The world is changing, and family fortunes are unpredictable." Liu Dan said, "My family is taking a gamble anyway. Even if Shao Xun takes over power in the future, he will be able to become an official in the court. The local family business is still there, so why worry?"
"Shao Xun is a humble person, how could he-" Xun Zu still felt a little uncomfortable.
Liu Dan looked at his cousin-in-law and laughed: "How famous is Pingyuan Hua before Ziyu Gong (Hua Xin)?"
Xun Zu shook his head.
"In the past, when He Jin assisted the government, Ziyu Gong was called to Luoyang because of his talent and learning, and was appointed as Shangshu Lang. At this point, the Pingyuan Hua clan became a prominent clan," Liu Dan said.
Just as Xun Zu was about to say something, his wife Huatao came over and glared at her cousin Liu Dan, seeming to blame him for arranging the ancestors of the Hua family. But it was hard for her to say anything. After all, the Hua family was really not that good in Gaotang at that time.
Even though he was considered a local tycoon, his ancestor Hua Xin only worked as a minor official in the county. Fortunately, the academic atmosphere was good at that time, and his ancestor was able to worship famous teachers as a way to advance into the society.
Liu Dan was actually right. The world is changing. Who can say it accurately?
If the Pei family didn't have the contributions of Li Jue and Guo Bangshi, could they have become a famous family?
"Husband." Hua Tiao sighed: "As a woman, I shouldn't have said anything, but if the current situation is like this, it may not be a good thing to stick to the rules. Besides, a servant just came to retaliate. So, Liu Chou
The two of them are back and are holding a banquet at the manor outside the city, inviting all the Pengcheng crown clan members."
"What?" Xun Zu was surprised.
Both of them were Sima Yue's staff, one was the chief secretary of the palace, and the other was the chief historian of the shogunate.
He Sui is just a descendant of the He family in Donghai. Without the identity of a Donghai national, he may not be able to reach a high position.
But Liu Chou was from the Liu family in Pengcheng, a local noble family with deep connections. Once he comes back, things may change.
"Who have been invited?" Xun Zu asked.
Liu Dan also looked at her cousin.
Hua Tiao said: "I've invited them all, especially the powerful ones who are in charge of soldiers..."
Xun Zu couldn't sit still for a while.
"Taizhang, why are you hesitating?" Liu Dan's face was full of solemnity, and he just heard him say: "In the past, Liu Chou led the Donghai soldiers to guard the palace city, and Shao Xun recruited them as soon as they met. The Donghai shogunate in Kaocheng
The soldiers, the concubines and the heirs who were guarding the imperial concubine and the heir, Shao Xun, all bowed down when they arrived. Although the East China Sea is the East China Sea and Pengcheng is Pengcheng, it has nothing to do with it, but after all, they are all counties of Xuzhou, and some things are hard to say."
Xun Zu stood stunned for a long time, still unable to say the word "surrender".
"Husband!" Hua Tiao looked at him worriedly.
"Taizhang, don't hesitate!" Liu Dan advised: "Shao Xun only has so many soldiers and officials. He can't govern all the counties. Doesn't the world have to rely on us to support him? In the past, Cao Mengde was so powerful and accomplished.
After he succeeds, 70% of the people around him will be Han people, so there is still a chance."
After hearing this, Xun Zu sighed and said, "That's all, send someone to contact Xi Daohui."
Liu Dan breathed a sigh of relief.
He clearly deserves the credit for persuading Pengcheng to surrender. He may have to share it with others, but credit is credit.
When I have some free time later, I have to write a letter to Mr. Chen.
****
Shao Xun had just finished inspecting the former site of Jingfu Palace in Xuchang when he received a letter from Xuzhou Kuaima.
"Xun Taizhang is old, go home and rest." After reading, he handed the letter to Zuo Changshi Pei Kang and said.
Pei Kang is also old, and has just experienced a serious illness, and his energy and energy are far less than before.
After taking the letter and reading it, he sighed: "It took just one thought to end up like this."
Shao Xun looked up at the soldiers marching not far away.
There are 3,600 soldiers from Gaoping Prefecture, 1,200 soldiers from Dongping Prefecture, 1,200 soldiers from Puyang Prefecture, and 2,400 soldiers from Luonan Xiangcheng Prefecture, totaling 8,400 strong men.
If you include one of the tribesmen each carries, there are nearly 17,000 people.
"Is this soldier majestic?" Shao Xun asked.
Pei Kang squinted his eyes and looked at it.
These soldiers actually look very messy.
The reason for the confusion is that the weapons and armor are different. They don't look like a regular army, but more like rogue bandits. One of the typical characteristics of rogue bandits is that their uniforms are of different colors and their weapons are all kinds of messy.
But they are definitely not rogues, and Pei Kang still has some discernment.
Gaoping's soldiers are old subordinates of Duke Chen. Most of them are officers and soldiers of the Yamen Army and have experienced many battles.
Dongping and Puyang Prefecture soldiers were mainly soldiers from the former Xuchang Prefecture, and they had defeated the Xiongnu, but their combat effectiveness was much lower than that of Gaoping Prefecture soldiers.
The most powerful ones are the soldiers of Luonan Mansion. No matter what weapons they use, each one of them carries a heavy sword and a crossbow.
This is a real veteran, the kind who has been fighting for ten years, and his fighting power is quite strong.
"This soldier——" Before Pei Kang could finish his words, dozens of horsemen were rushing in front of him.
These people dismounted thirty steps away, then walked forward, prostrated themselves on the ground, and shouted in unison: "Greetings to the Duke Ming."
Shao Xun stepped forward and said: "Everyone, get up."
"As ordered." Everyone stood up one after another.
The governor of Buqu stood in front, the general of Buqu, the chief historian of Buqu, and the Sima of other departments stood behind.
All the soldiers and officers of the seven Longxiang Mansion (also known as the Seventh Governor) are here.
"Xu Meng." Shao Xun pointed at a tall and thick man wearing a Diao Chan crown and shouted.
"The general is here!" Xu Meng, the governor of Longxiang Mansion in Yingqiao, responded loudly, looking a little excited.
Back then, it was Mr. Chen who personally handed the official seal to him, turning him from a down-and-out bandit into a serious official.
"Are you a soldier of Xiangcheng Prefecture?" Shao Xun asked.
"The last general's home is in Yingqiaofang, Xiangcheng County, Xiangcheng County."
"Oh, between Xiangcheng and Yingchuan." Shao Xun said with a smile: "What do you do on weekdays?"
"When farming is busy, I help the family and do some farm work. In my spare time, I practice my skills."
"How were you?"
"You can have enough food, and you can also eat mutton."
Shao Xun laughed and said, "Is anyone bullying me?"
"No." Xu Meng replied, "Even if there was, he was beaten away."
"Oh? Really?" Shao Xun said in surprise.
Of course, General Long Xiang and the shogunate would not report trivial matters such as fights in the countryside to him.
"Last year there was not enough water in Yingyin, so it was difficult to irrigate the fields. Some people from Yingyin came to grab water, and the men brought armored soldiers and ran away." Xu Meng said proudly.
He is really proud.
Yingyin is the home base of the Xun family, and even the powerful locals in the county are inseparable from the Xun family.
Who could win over the Xun family in the past when it came to fighting for water? But the government soldiers gathered together and drove them away. This was definitely sensational news in Xiangcheng and Yingyin counties.
An organized and combat-effective armed force appeared in the local area. They were experienced in fighting, well-equipped, and cooperated tacitly. Many of them even had war horses, and some bankers were no match for them.
"Brilliant!" Shao Xun praised.
"This is all the result of Ming Gong." Xu Meng said.
This sentence is truly sincere.
Recently, the shogunate took into account that the soldiers in the government were generally married and had children, and the land surveying was quite effective, so they allocated a part of the land to them and set the upper limit to 200 acres as a permanent system.
In other words, one household currently owns 200 acres of land and is allowed to own up to three households.
In the eyes of the soldiers, Duke Chen continued to provide them with benefits. They were like reborn parents, and gratitude was inevitable.
Shao Xun came to another person. After thinking for a long time, he asked: "What is your name?"
"Xialou Longxiang Mansion's Sima Shixian." This person said loudly.
These are the soldiers from Fan County, Gaoping County (formerly a county under the Rencheng State).
"From the Lao Yamen Army?" Shao Xun asked.
"Exactly."
"Stayed in Liang County?"
"I settled in Gaoping from Liang County."
"I took care of the old man." Shao Xun happily patted his shoulder and said, "You didn't expect this day, did you?"
"Ming Gong." Shi Xian glanced at Shao Xun excitedly and said: "This last general's life belongs to Ming Gong. When my son grows up, he will also fight for Ming Gong."
"Okay, okay." Shao Xun smiled happily.
"How are you in the country?" he asked.
"I don't have to worry about eating and drinking. I think about how to fight for the Ming Dynasty all day long." Shi Xian replied.
Shao Xun nodded.
He remembered that two months ago, there was unrest in Fan County, Gaoping.
There was a small noble family, the He family, who refused to accept food and grass. They also accused the prefect Yu Zhigong of avenging his own personal revenge and causing his family to pay more for food. They were angry and started a rebellion.
At the critical moment, the Taishou Mansion recruited 5,000 men and assembled 4,800 soldiers (including tribes) from the two governors and eight defenses to besiege He's manor and conquer it in seven days.
He didn't want to care whether Yu Zhi had any quarrel with the He family or not. He only said that Gaoping's soldiers had indeed played the role of a needle to calm the sea.
According to a report from General Long Xiang's Mansion, the 5,000 men recruited by Yu Zhi were mostly powerful Zhuangke tribesmen of scholars from Gaoping counties. They were originally feeling sad about the death of a rabbit and a fox, so they were procrastinating and reluctant to send troops. However, they were reluctant to send troops.
After the Longxiang shogunate issued an order to assemble the troops, everyone gave in and finally sent out troops to besiege the He family manor and destroy the family.
In this matter, if the government soldiers are absent, the whole county may be in turmoil.
Shi Xian, as one of the four commanders of the Longxiang Mansion in Xialou, Fan County, should have participated in this battle.
He said he would fight for Shao Xun, and he did so.
Everyone underestimated the role of Fubing.
Among the 21 counties in the two prefectures of Henan and Yan, currently only Puyang, Dongping, and Gaoping have large-scale deployment of soldiers, accounting for three-quarters of the total number of soldiers. The rest are mostly scattered in the counties of Luonan, Xiang, etc.
Cheng County and the western part of Yingchuan County.
The biggest difficulty encountered in placing Fu soldiers is the insufficient number of troops.
This can only happen slowly.
After Shao Xun completed his inspection tour and talked with more than ten people, he ordered them to disperse and go back to lead the troops on their way.
He returned to the place where he and Pei Kang were standing just now.
Pei Laoden looked at him with a complicated expression.
Shao Xun seemed unaware.
The Pei family is mostly in Hedong County and has friendship with the local nobles in Henan, but the interest relationship is not very close. As a member of a large family, Pei Kang may have some opinions, but that's it. After all, the sword has not been cut yet.
To the Pei family.
Bringing an army of 17,000 people to Luo, who can harm him in the slightest?
Chapter completed!