Chapter 105 Sizhou Roaring Horse

Just as dawn the next day, an official from the Yangzhou Grand Governor's Office found Li Qing'an. Although the Yangzhou Grand Governor's Office did not have the actual power to mobilize troops, it is the highest military management in the Jianghuai area after all. Some of the specific procedures for Li Qing'an and others to serve as regiment training envoys were handled by the Grand Governor's Office.

The Grand Governor of Yangzhou was Li Linfu. The highest official in charge of the Grand Governor's Office was the Chief Secretary of the Grand Governor's Office. The Chief Secretary of the Grand Governor's Office was from the third rank, and was generally served by officials of high status. Sometimes he was also the prime minister, or returned to Beijing after his tenure as the prime minister. Therefore, to a certain extent, the Chief Secretary of the Grand Governor's Office was the third force in Yangzhou except for the prefect and the transshipment envoy.

The official currently serving as the chief of the Grand Governor's Office is the crown prince's young master Wei Tao. Wei Tao is the core figure of the Wei family of the Tang Dynasty. His daughter also married the royal family and is the concubine of Li Yan, the king of Di.

At this time, Wei Tao had already arrived in the official room. Today he had an important official task, which was Li Qing'an's specific arrangement for the regiment training envoy. The Ministry of War had already arrived. It was written very clearly. The specific methods and numbers of soldiers were determined by the regiment training envoy. During the training period, the regiment training envoy had the power to dispatch less than 500 troops. What the Grand Governor's Office had to do was to write the requirements of the regiment training envoy into a certificate and send it to the military office.

Wei Tao was very depressed. Although his status was high, his actual power was not as good as that of Li Qing'an, a general of the Central Army.

"Sir, General Li has arrived." A report came from the door.

"Let him in!"

Wei Tao packed up a few books on the table and sat down seriously. He had a second-rank crown prince junior teacher, who was far higher than Li Qing'an.

The door opened, Li Qing'an quickly walked into the house, bowed and said, "I am not good at Li Qing'an, see Wei Changshi."

Seeing that he was humble, Wei Tao looked a little better and said, "General Li, we won't exchange greetings. First of all, I want to ask General Li, how to train troops. I think General Li should have a draft on the way!"

Li Qing'an took out a booklet and handed it to Wei Tao and smiled: "I have really thought about it. Please check it out."

Wei Tao took it and frowned, saying, "Do you just want to train part of the troops?"

"That is, there are more than 5,000 military officials in Jiangdu, and I can't train them all, and it's only half a year. So I plan to draw 500 elite soldiers from each military official to form a regiment training camp. These 500 people are about 25 years old, over seven feet tall, able to pull bows of more than three stones, and able to ride horses. It's best to be recruited, so that I can be very accomplices."

Wei Tao pondered for a moment. He understood the purpose of Li Qing'an doing this. In this way, a powerful force emerged in Yangzhou area, and there was no restraint from the commander. From his original intention, he did not want Li Qing'an to have an army that belonged entirely to him, but he had no choice. Where was the order of the Ministry of War? He had no right to interfere.

"Okay! When do you want it?"

"Chief Wei, I want it now. I have brought five entourages. These five people went to five military palaces to pick people. In addition, I hope that the Grand Governor's Office can provide 500 hard bows with more than three stones and five pots of arrows per bow, and 500 horses and a camp that can accommodate 500 people. Please arrange these as soon as possible."

Wei Tao stretched his face and said unhappily: "General Li, I understand this matter. I will arrange it and will not delay your training."

"Thank you, Chief Wei, it's not too late. I think I'll go to the military office to pick people."

Although the five Zhechong military administrations in Jiangdu were all on the frontiers, the military system of the palace gradually became corrupt after Tianbao, and the deserters of each military administration were severe, with almost no full military administrations. The five Zhechong military administrations in Jiangdu were no exception. When Li Qing'an ordered troops in the First Military Administration, only more than 600 people stood in line under the high platform, and another 100 people were transferred to Beijing to guard the garrison. In fact, 30% of the staff were short of this, which was already very good.

The soldiers of the palace were farmers in peacetime and soldiers in wartime, and they were trained regularly. During the training period, the military government provided food and accommodation. Today, Li Qing'an was in good luck and was in the training period.

General Zhao Xu, the commander general, cleared his throat and said loudly: "Listen, everyone, the Ministry of War sent a delegation to Jianghuai to train troops. The person who came to our Jiangdu Fifth Army Mansion was General Li of the rank of the Anxi Army. He is known as the first arrow in Anxi. General Li will draw 100 people from each of the Jiangdu Fifth Army Mansions to form a regiment training camp. It will last for half a year. Anyone who is drawn will not only become the elite of Jiangdu Fifth Army Mansions, but also have a subsidy of 2,000 cents a month, and there will be meat to eat every day. Brothers, this is a chance, everyone will seize it."

The soldiers were slightly in agitation, and each person could receive a subsidy of 2,000 yuan per month. This is the price of four stone rice. This is undoubtedly a huge temptation for soldiers who are in the army without pay. They can get twelve stagnants of money for half a year of training, and they can eat meat every day, which is much more profitable than farming.

Although Chunfen was very busy, many soldiers still showed a look of yearning in their eyes. Zhao Xu nodded and smiled at Li Qing'an and said, "General Li, you can order troops."

Li Qingan looked at the soldiers below, and he asked in confusion: "Emperor Zhao, are there only so many people?"

The commander Zhao Xu wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, "It's true that there are only so many people, this is not bad. In Suzhou and Huzhou, there are only 30% of the troops left in some military governments, and they all run away."

"But in my military list, your military residence should be full."

Li Qingan raised the military book in his hand and glanced at Zhao Duwei coldly.

Zhao Xu's back was soaked. He thought that Li Qing'an could turn a blind eye after drinking a drink yesterday, but he didn't expect that he would not let go at all.

The soldiers of the Tang Dynasty had no military pay and only cared about food, but the 300 shortages of grain, rice, vegetables, and other expenses required an additional income of nearly a thousand guan a year.

This is a secret rule that the military governments know very well, but the degree of harvesting is different.

"Can General Li speak with one step?"

"No need, I don't want to know anything. I just ordered a hundred people to leave. In addition, Zhao Duwei should not forget to give me enough food and meat."

"General Li only needs troops, as long as he likes the one he likes, I will definitely let it go." Zhao Xu breathed a sigh of relief. He understood what Li Qing'an meant.

He hurriedly stepped forward and waved, "Brothers come here, come in line, come one fire and one fire."

The soldiers quickly lined up in a long row, waiting for selection. Li Qing'an sat on a square rock, with a Guoyi commander singing the name next to him.

"Liu Zhiyun, twenty years old."

This is a young man with big and thick appearance, full of energy, Li Qing'an nodded, "I'm done!"

"Wu Ming, thirty years old, the commander of the Second Battalion."

This person is also good at height, but a hint of cunning appeared in his eyes. You can tell at a glance that he was a veteran. Li Qingan waved his hand and said that he didn't like this person.

At this time, another soldier came, who was seven feet tall, with a tiger's back and a bear's waist, and his eyes were bright. Although his military uniform was worn, he could not hide the heroic spirit between his eyebrows and eyes.

"Nan Jiyun, thirty years old, the second camp fire chief."

"Wait!" Li Qingan stopped the roll title of Guoyi Commander Guoyi.

He walked up and looked at the young and heroic general. Nan Jiyun was Nan Jiyun, the famous general known as Zhao Zilong of the Tang Dynasty?

Nan Jiyun just joined Zhang Xun after the Anshi Rebellion and shone brightly. Before this, he made a living everywhere because of his poverty, but unexpectedly, he actually became a fire chief in the Jiangdu Military Mansion.

"General Li, do you know this person?" Zhao Xu, the commander of the commander, was a little surprised. Nan Jiyun was just an ordinary little fire, and it seemed that the bow and horse were good, but it did not surprise Li Qingan so much.

"Nothing!" Li Qingan laughed and said, "I think this person is so majestic, but he is just a fire-boosting person, and I feel a little strange."

He asked Nan Jiyun again, "Where are you from?"

"If you return to the general, you will be a native of Dunqiu County, Weizhou."

"A native of Weizhou?" Li Qingan asked with a strange smile: "How come you run to Jiangdu to join the army?"

"Bizhi rented ten acres of land in Jiangdu. Because his boss was in poor health, he came to join the army for him."

Although Nan Jiyun's position is humble, his answers are neither humble nor arrogant, which makes people feel good about it.

Li Qingan waved his hand, "Okay! You count one."

"Next!"

In the afternoon, 500 people were selected from each military prefecture and all entered the military camp. The military camp was located outside the north gate of Jiangdu, close to the canal transport warehouse. From a distance, hundreds of large warehouses were invisible at first sight, and their military camp was the soldiers guarding the warehouse. At the end of last year, one of the soldiers from one of the military camps was transferred to Jiangyang County to station, and the military camp was empty, just for Li Qing'an's regiment training camp to station.

The military camp covers a large area, with three rows of long brick and tiled bungalows for the lodge, then horse houses, and a large school ground for training thousands of people, surrounded by two-year-old earthen walls.

Five hundred strong soldiers lined up in ten rows, with their waists straight, listening to their young regiment training.

Li Qingan was wearing a black bright light armor and an iron helmet on his head. He rode a majestic horse with a horizontal knife on his waist and hung a huge black longbow on his face.

"I am Anxi Li Qing'an, known as Anxi's No. 1 arrow."

Speaking of this, he pulled out his long bow, put on an arrow, and suddenly turned around and shot an arrow at the gate tower eighty steps away. Two birds on the top of the tower were about to fly, but the arrow shot like lightning, shooting the bird through with one arrow. As soon as the other bird flew up, Li Qingan turned around and pulled the bow with his left hand. Another arrow shot the flying bird. He opened the bow left and right in one go. The two birds fell down the high whistle tower one after another.

Everyone exclaimed, and then silent in an instant, and a look of amazement appeared in everyone's eyes. Such magical arrows that were shooting left and right were never seen in the Jianghuai military camp. Even Nan Jiyun, who was proud of his archery skills, was amazed. He was far inferior to Li Qing'an's transcendent.

A soldier rushed to pick up the arrow. Li Qingan shot through the bird's long arrow in one fell swoop and said proudly: "This is my purpose. In half a year, each of you must be able to penetrate the bird with an arrow a hundred steps away."

Although the prospect is wonderful, the process is boring and arduous. The soldiers shoot arrows from morning to night, their fingers are swollen and painful, and their arms are sore and weak. However, the five Anxi instructors are all fierce and evil. If they are slacking off, they will be hit by wooden sticks.

It was just one thing that made the soldiers feel relieved, that was, in the archery competition every evening, each person had ten arrows, and the competition was conducted outside the fifty steps, and the top twenty and the last ten were awarded one hundred to five hundred cents each, while the last ten were awarded ten army sticks.

The reward and punishment list is hung high on the wooden board at the gate of the military camp, and the scores are listed one by one. In the end, these scores will be the basis for promotion. Every soldier clearly understands these scores and convinces them.

Five days passed in a flash. Before dawn, the five hundred cavalrymen in the regiment training camp went out. From today on, they would conduct riding and shooting training and no longer be restricted in the military camp.

The scope of riding training is mainly in the Jianghuai area. It stops when you encounter mountains, camps when you encounter water, and riding horses and shooting archery has become their entire life content.

At noon that day, the regiment camp arrived in Xuyi County. To the north of Xuyi County is the Huai River, which is the main transit place for Caohe transportation. Its geographical location is very important. There is a big mountain called Duliang Mountain in the southwest of the county town. The mountain is majestic and steep, and it stretches for dozens of miles. The mountain is covered with large forests. At the end of the Sui Dynasty, several rebel troops were stationed here.

Xuyi County is also the northernmost where they practiced. Cui Ping, recommended by Li Qing'an, was here to be the county magistrate. It was also a great pleasure for his life to meet old friends in a foreign land. He decided to train in Xuyi for two days and then lead his army back to Yangzhou.

Five hundred cavalrymen lined up on the official road, with a neat and orderly team. No one spoke and marched forward without any hurry. After more than half a month of hard practice, everyone made great progress in both equestrian and archery. Although each of them became dark and thin, they were all energetic, agile, and strict military disciplines made them already have the style of a strong army.

At this time, the dark Duliang Mountain in the distance was already visible. Walking forward ten miles further, it was Xuyi County.

Suddenly, the sound of horse hooves came from the official road in the distance. I saw the yellow dust rolling, and three riders were rushing towards me like lightning. Gradually, people came to me. There was a small official in front and two yamen runners in soap clothes behind.

They were full of panic and whipped the war horses desperately, as if there was something urgent. They suddenly saw the army on the official road. They were startled and strangled the horses, and then looked surprised in their eyes.

The official rushed forward and bowed, "I am Fang Lin, the county magistrate of Xuyi. Who is the general who is the commander of the army?"

Li Qingan rode out and said, "I am, what's the matter with you?"

The county magistrate turned over and dismounted, bowed repeatedly and said, "I beg the general to save our 30,000 fellow villagers in Xuyi County. The situation is extremely critical."

"You can make it clear, what happened?"

"General, King Jinwei of Liangshan wants to slaughter our Xuyi County, probably tomorrow!"

"King Jinwei? Are there any horses on Liangshan?"

"Report to the general, there is a 3,000-man roar horse on the capital Liangshan Mountain. Because our county magistrate accidentally killed the son of the leader of the horse, King Jin Wei, when he was arresting the thief five days ago, the horse was shot in the battle letter this morning, and the city of Xuyi will be washed away early tomorrow morning."

Li Qingan was a little surprised. There were actually loud horses in the heart of the Central Plains, and it was in Sizhou, a major area of ​​canal transportation. What did the military governments nearby do?

Li Qingan felt that something might be strange in the middle, so he raised his whip and said, "Go to the county town first, and then slowly tell me the reason."

The county magistrate was overjoyed and quickly said to a yamen runner: "Go and inform the magistrate Cui, and say that the savior has arrived, so he will come out to greet him quickly."

"General Li, I didn't expect that we would meet here!"

At the gate of the county town, Cui Ping, dressed in official uniform, came excitedly to greet him. The county magistrate, chief clerk and a group of yamen runners all came forward to greet him.

Li Qingan looked at him and saw that he was much thinner than Shihei, but he was energetic. He could see that he was doing it very comfortably here.

"Where will we meet in our lives? County Magistrate Cui, it seems that you are in good condition recently! Are both the wife and the child good?"

"They are all very good. The wife talked about you yesterday! I asked me to visit you in Yangzhou. I also want to go, but, alas!"
To be continued...