The drizzle kept falling, and the white wall was soaked by the rain and dyed dark gray.
The banana tree under the wall was crackling continuously under the beating of raindrops.
The rainwater on the eaves flows along the drainage channel to the ground, collects into a stream in the courtyard, and flows into the pond in the backyard.
In the pond, a red carp jumped out of the water, and then returned to the pond with a normal sound. Immediately, a circle of ripples slowly spread out.
Liu Xia stood outside, looking at the pond in a daze. In the study, dust and smoke from the incense burner curled up, and a budgerigar parrot jumped around in the birdcage from time to time.
At this time, a familiar sound of footsteps came outside the study, and then the door was opened.
"Your Highness, the battle report has arrived."
Liu Xia turned around and took the battle report, took a look at it, put it on the table on the side, then sat on the chair, picked up the writing brush, and began to write the battle report to the court.
The Nangong family's army was completely wiped out. In the past five days, the Southern Expedition army continued to encircle and suppress them. The remaining Nangong family's army surrendered.[
At present, the Nangong family's surrendered troops have reached more than 35,000, and they have all been organized into the southeastern border guard camp.
In the past few days, the masters of the various territories assigned to them have begun to send their own troops into their respective territories to eliminate the remaining members of the Nangong family, which is going on nervously.
These family heads were very good at managing their fiefdoms, so Liu Xia wasn't that worried.
Now, his only worry is that the pirates will arrive as expected.
It was already the sixth day that the wind direction had changed. If nothing went wrong, the first group of pirates would have been very close to them.
"Your Majesty, Huangpu Jie would like to see you."
"Let him in."
After Liu Xia finished speaking, Huang Pujie entered the study and hurriedly saluted Liu Xia.
"Master Huangpu, get up. If you haven't been in charge of your fief for the past few days, how can you find time to see me?"
Liu Xia smiled.
"I have given Quanzi full authority to handle the fiefdom matters. The monsoon season is approaching, so I have come here specially to report to His Highness about the pirates."
"It just so happens that I am also worried these days. According to reports from the Southeast Border Guard Camp and the Nangong family in previous years, most of these pirates come from the islands in the East China Sea, of which Ji Island is the largest, followed by Dongsha Islands and Xisha Islands.
I heard that there are dozens of these pirates, big and small, and they often fight each other, but during the monsoon season, they become more united. What does Mr. Huangpu think of this?"
Liu Xia asked with a smile.
"Your Highness, although these pirates look chaotic and have many factions, generally speaking, they can be divided into four factions. The first faction is from the pirate forces of Ji Island. Ji Island is desolate and barren.
People have been brave and fierce since they were young. The nobles there even have to participate in the sea.
Kou, this is how they can maintain their livelihood. After years of accumulation, they now have strong soldiers and horses, strong ships and powerful artillery. They are also the most powerful. Now their leader is named Karna, and he is a ruthless character. This person
They are people spread all over the world on Ji Island, and their cultivation is very advanced. It is difficult to deal with them."
"Qi Tianliu!"[
Liu Xia groaned.
He had heard about Qi Tianliu. Although Ji Island was bitterly cold, there were always many masters.
And this Qi Tianliu is also the most powerful sect on Ji Island. Its strength is faintly behind the three major sects of Dragon Soul and cannot be underestimated.
"The second faction is located in Kunsha Village in Dongsha Islands. Their village leader is named Wang Kunsha. Although his strength is somewhat different from that of Kana on Ji Island, the gap is not small. Moreover, over the years, a black-hearted businessman has been working with them.
There is trade and tribulation.
The goods they held were sold in the mainland, so they became prosperous. The Kunsha Gang has less than 8,000 people, but they have dozens of people under their jurisdiction over the Nansha pirate gang. If all of these people are counted
Come on, the number of people is more than 20,000."
Huang Pujie introduced.
"Twenty thousand!"
Liu Xia couldn't help but frowned.
"The third faction is located in the Xisha Islands, the Xisha Gang. They were originally people who moved there to escape the war, and there are also some remnants of the Qing Dynasty. I heard that these remnants established the Nanqing Dynasty there over the years. Usually
They make a living by fishing, but every monsoon season, they disguise themselves as pirates and go out to sea to rob. My Huangpu family's caravan has fought against them several times."
"I see."
Liu Xia nodded and said.
"As for the fourth faction, people call them ghosts. Because they always come and go, like ghosts. They are so powerful that even the pirates from Dongji Island will flee when they encounter them. They are always very powerful.
They rarely appear in the sea near us. However, they will occasionally appear every time the monsoon comes. Therefore, they pose the least threat to us, and they will never go ashore to rob. Although they are the strongest, Weichen ranks them in the third place.
Four."
Huang Pujie explained.
"How many people are there in this ghost?"
Liu Xia asked.
"This...Wei Chen has only heard of it, but has never seen it. It is very mysterious."
Huang Pujie said awkwardly.
"The reason why these pirates are so rampant is, firstly, directly related to the weakness of the imperial navy. Secondly, the "profite" merchants along the coast are working in cahoots with them, dumping stolen goods for them, converting them into materials they urgently need, and supporting them.
They. Third, they were surrounded by a large army of border guards from the southeast.
If the campaign fails, they will always return with a full harvest. Over the years, they will become more and more fearful. So they will become more and more rampant in these years. Last year, they dared to attack the coast of Jiangzhou. If the navy had not been dispatched in time, the consequences would have been
It’s really unimaginable.”
Huang Pujie explained.
"It seems that the first thing to do is to crack down on profiteers along the coast and cut off their financial opportunities."
Liu Xia was silent for a moment and said.
"Wei Chen thinks so too. The profiteers along the southeast coast are colluding with them. They not only provide them with a large amount of materials, but also act as guides for them when they land. Indirectly surrendering to the enemy and treason."
Huang Pujie clasped his fists and said.
"Okay, I have an idea. In the past few days, you will mobilize the fleet at Nangong's port and be ready to deal with pirates at any time."
Liu Xia ordered.
"As ordered. That humble minister will retire."
After Huang Pujie said this, he knelt down and bowed, then stood up and exited the room.
"Zhang Zong, come with me to the southeastern border guard camp. In addition, send someone to inform Bai Rongxuan that I have something to discuss with him."
"As commanded."
Zhang Zong, who was guarding the door, clasped his fists and said.
Immediately, Liu Xia set off from Wanghaicheng and headed towards the southeast border guard camp.
Wanghai City is located in the southeast of Taizhou. It is the only place in the southeast of Taizhou that is not the territory of the Nangong family. Previously, the Southeast Border Guard Camp was stationed here to guard the southeast coast.
After the battle with the Nangong family, the southeastern border garrison camp was defeated by the Nangong family Yingwai, and the southeastern border garrison fled northward in a hurry, and then arrived outside Yongle City.
Now that the Nangong family was defeated, Duan Lingxiao returned here with the southeastern border guard army.
In less than half an hour, Liu Xia saw the southeastern border garrison camp in the distance.
The four major border garrison camps of the Tianji Dynasty were decided upon in the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China. They were built successively over hundreds of years and are huge in scale.
From a distance, you can see the towering city walls of the border guard camp, with flags flying on the walls.
Arriving outside the gate of Daying City, after some communication, Duan Lingxiao personally led a group of officers and soldiers out to greet him.
After some pleasantries, Duan Lingxiao led Liu Xia into the city, accompanied by Liu Xia and other generals such as Wang Qiushan and Lian Peiyun.
At this moment, the camp was undergoing intense training, and it was a busy scene.
"The monsoon season has arrived, and I believe pirates will attack soon. How is the current situation in the camp?"
Liu Xia asked.
"Your Highness, since I took over the camp from my humble position, I have not dared to waste a moment. Since you left, I have started to clean up the army. I will clear out all the old, weak, sick and disabled. Then I will move to Jiangzhou, Qianzhou, etc. They are constantly recruiting soldiers, and there are currently more than 50,000 soldiers in the army. Including the old troops of the Nangong family that have been absorbed, the total force is now 90,000, and the logistics army is more than 30,000. I have been seizing the time to practice these days, and I will be ready at any time. It can come in handy.”
Duan Lingxiao said.
"Very good, I plan to use you as the main force to suppress the pirates this time. After all, even though the imperial bandit-suppressing army has withdrawn, you will still have to stay here and continue to maintain the stability of the southeastern coast."
"I understand that Your Highness wants to use sea pirates to strengthen the southeastern border garrison."
Duan Lingxiao said.
"General Wang Shen, General Lian Shen, what do you two think?"
Liu Xia stopped and turned around to ask.
"He took the scapegoat for his humble position, committed bloody battles on the battlefield, and made meritorious service to the country."
Wang Qiushan and Lian Peiyun said one after another.
"Very good, now we are a family. I am looking forward to your performance. Dissatisfied with you two, although Duan Zongbing is currently the commander of the border guard camp, he is still a relative of the emperor and will still go back to take over Tiankui Guard in the future. So, for this position of commander, one of you must be promoted. Seize the opportunity and don’t let him miss it.”
Liu Xia smiled lightly.
"You must do your best for a humble job."
Immediately, the two people knelt down and said.
"Okay, let's go see the barracks."
Liu Xia smiled.
Duan Lingxiao hurriedly took Liu Xia to look around the barracks. Along the way, Liu Xia saw many people repairing your camp. In the battle with the Nangong family, the southeastern border guard camp also suffered heavy losses.
After a while, they arrived at the granary.
Liu Xia saw that the army's food reserves were far below the warning line, so he couldn't help but turn around and asked: "Is it very tight?"
"When the Nangong family captured the southeastern border guard camp, they looted all the reserves here. The army's logistics are currently very empty. The food was urgently recruited from various places. It lasted less than half a month. I am also preparing to write a report. I’ll give you the cellar. Let you help me think of a solution. After all, the official supply from the imperial court only starts in ten months. We don’t dare to disturb the people, so..."
Duan Lingxiao said this and gave a bitter smile.
"We can't let the soldiers go to the front line hungry. After I go back, I will raise food and salary for you. It's a pity that the court has spent so much money on the southeastern border camp over the years that we ended up in this situation."
Liu Xia sighed softly and said.
"The Nangong family and the former commander-in-chief of the Southeast Border Guard worked together in collusion with each other, and colluded with the pirates. In fact, the court's money has most likely been emptied out over the years. Even without the Nangong family,
That’s enough.”
Duan Lingxiao smiled.
"Okay, let's go look elsewhere. You don't have to worry about food and salary. As long as you train them all for me, I'll be relieved."