What did Zhang Xiao think about the strange behavior of the puppet Qi army?
Zhang Xiao thought for a long time and said slowly: "I have a bold idea, but I'm not sure!"
"Just ask to join the army!"
"My humble guess is that the puppet Qi army will retreat soon, and the army and the people will retreat together!"
Chen Qing frowned, "Are you saying that by spreading rumors about the plague, you are trying to force the people to retreat together?"
"It should be like this. If I'm not wrong, they will definitely spread rumors. Plague broke out everywhere except Xiangyang, so the people in the city must have fled to Xiangyang."
Chen Qing nodded, "It's very possible!"
Yang Zaixing, who was standing next to him, said in confusion: "The army is also morally chaotic. How can we ensure that the soldiers retreat to Xiangyang honestly?"
Zhang Xiao laughed, "I guess the soldiers haven't received their salary for several months. If you want to get your military salary, you have to go to Xiangyang, or give up on your own, or there is an antidote to the plague in Xiangyang. This move is even more cruel.
Make sure every soldier tries his best to escape to Xiangyang!"
"You're right about joining the army. That should be what it is. The key is how do we distinguish between common people and soldiers? If you lose your helmet and armor and mix among the common people, how do you tell the difference?"
Zhang Xiao shook his head and said with a bitter smile: "This move is very vicious. Unless we don't care about the life and death of the people and kill all the men, I can't think of how to tell the difference. The key is that they are all hungry people. If we don't care, a large number of people will starve to death. But if we
Take care of it, we won’t have enough troops!”
At this moment, a soldier rushed to report, "Reporting to the capital, the scouts in front have sent news that the gates of Changshou County are wide open and countless people are rushing out."
Everyone looked at each other in shock. Sure enough, they were guessed. This is really what happened!
Everyone looked at Chen Qing, and Chen Qing said helplessly: "Wang Duo will lead a thousand troops to guard the camp. Everyone else should follow me to see the situation!"
The cavalry quickly gathered, and under the command of Chen Qing, nine thousand cavalry galloped toward the north.
.......
Under the extreme threat of the plague, the people in the city broke out with unprecedented efficiency and speed. The four city gates opened at the same time, and hundreds of thousands of people rushed out. Thirty thousand soldiers were also among them. Even Jiang Yanxian also
Pretending to be a middle-aged scribe, he took some books and belongings, as well as a few followers, and fled in the direction of Xiangyang in a donkey cart.
On the official road, people fleeing were overwhelming. They were all hungry, supporting each other, and crying loudly. Many old people could not walk after running for more than ten miles. They sat on the roadside, patted their legs, and cried out, waiting to die.
Chen Qing led 9,000 cavalry to attack, and 70% of the people in the city fled. The remaining 30% did not have time to leave the city. The puppet Qi army's barracks were empty and they all fled. Armor and weapons were piled up in the big tent.
Chen Qing ordered the city gates to be closed and led his cavalry to pursue him. He saw that on the official road and in the wilderness, people could not escape. The autumn wind was howling and the chill was biting. The people were hungry and cold, and their cries were loud.
At this time, Zhao Xiaoyi came riding on horseback and saluted, "See you all!"
"Have any fleeing troops been gathered?"
Zhao Xiaoyi shook his head, "They were all scattered and fled in all directions. They basically mingled with the common people. Without armor or weapons, it's really hard to distinguish between low-level positions."
Chen Qing said helplessly: "You really can't underestimate the world's capable people. Send me an order to stop the pursuit!"
The cavalry had to stop the pursuit, and its mission was changed to relieving the people and urging them to return to the city.
It took two full days for hundreds of thousands of people to start returning to the city one after another, but in the end only 70% were persuaded to go back. Those whose families had some conditions fled to Xiangyang.
Three days later, Li Gang led the army and baggage to Changshou County and took over the subsequent disaster relief affairs. Chen Qing was able to escape from Changshou County and led his army to Jiangling Mansion to rest and recuperate.
By this time, both sides had completed their strategic contraction, and the puppet Qi army began to consolidate its occupation of Xiangyang Prefecture and Deng, Suizhou, and Fangzhou. Dong Xuan sent people to Changshou County to negotiate with Li Gang, and was willing to use some of the troops previously captured in Dengzhou and Xiangyang Prefecture.
More than 10,000 Song troops were exchanged for the 5,000 puppet Qi troops captured in Hanyang.
The two sides began to engage in a strategic confrontation, and Li Gang also ordered the governors in various places in Huguang to start recruiting soldiers.
.........
The ship escorting Yang Yao and other bandit generals finally arrived in Lin'an. Although the Song Dynasty faced heavy pressure from the three-line attack, the news that the Dongting water bandits were put down still made everyone in the court rejoice. Emperor Zhao Gou ordered the public execution of thirteen Yang Yao and others.
The famous thief general and his family members totaled more than 120 people.
Yang Yao's beheading meant that the banditry in Dongting Lake was completely quelled, and that all rebel forces within the Song Dynasty were wiped out. The court could focus on restoring people's livelihood, increasing the population, and slowly improving the increasingly embarrassing financial predicament.
.
In the Hall of Yangxin, Emperor Zhao Gou came to pay his respects to the Queen Mother as usual. Queen Mother Wei said in a cold voice: "The official family seems to be in a good mood today. Did something happy happen?"
"I report back to my mother that Yang Yao, the leader of the thieves who caused trouble for the Yangtze River and Dongting Lake for several years, has been taken to Lin'an and beheaded in public at noon today. The poisonous thorn in my back has finally been removed."
"Oh! I heard some rumors. This is a good thing! Are the officials planning to reward meritorious soldiers heavily?"
"My son had this plan. Thanks to Chen Qing's great contribution this time, I was able to pull out the poisonous thorn."
"It's Chen Qing again. The Ai family remembers that he seems to have just been promoted to the capital! Could it be that the officials are planning to promote him again?"
Zhao Gou sighed secretly in his heart. He discussed this matter with Qin Hui today, and Qin Hui hinted that he would ask the Queen Mother for instructions. This made Zhao Gou feel a little unhappy, but he had no choice. If he decided on some things by himself without the Queen Mother's consent, he would not be able to do it in the future.
There will be trouble.
"Your Majesty, my ministers made a promise to the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty in the court meeting that those who annihilate Yang Yao will be promoted to the third level and given the title of Duke. If my ministers do not keep their promises, how will they face the world?"
"Chen Qing was not the only one who killed Yang Yao! They have so many generals, does it mean that all the credit goes to Chen Qing?"
"This...of course other meritorious officers will also be rewarded. The promise of the ministers will only be given to the chief general."
After a pause, Zhao Gou explained: "This is the reward set by my ministers last year, and it is not aimed at Chen Qing."
"Then how does the emperor plan to ban him?"
"Follow your promise! Be granted the title of Duke of Jing and be promoted to the third level."
Empress Dowager Wei sneered and said: "What do other generals think of a letter like yours? Zhang Jun has been fighting for twenty years and has made many achievements. He is just a prince. The same is true for Han Shizhong. Liu Guangshi is even just a county prince. He
Do you think it is appropriate for the officials to be granted the title of Duke at your young age?"
"Mother, you have no words to joke about!"
Empress Dowager Wei was silent, and Zhao Gou continued: "I also know that Chen Qing was promoted too quickly. I have no way to deal with the title, but I can be flexible with the official position."
"How to work around it?"
"When I said that the official was promoted to the third rank, he did not say whether he was a civil servant or a military general. I planned to upgrade the military officer to one rank, and the civil servant to two ranks. In fact, it is still the fifth rank."
"Then why don't the officials raise him to the third level of military officer?"
Zhao Gou was speechless for a moment, and said after a while: "I'm afraid the world will laugh at me if I am promoted to a distinguished officer."
Empress Dowager Wei learned from Qin Hui's wife, Wang, that the official family was going to give Chen Qing another official position, which made her furious. Was her son deliberately going against her?
But Queen Mother Wei did not expect that this was the promise made by the officials in the court meeting. No matter how dissatisfied she was, she had no choice but to let the officials break their promise!
"Forget it, since you are a military general, let's be promoted to military attaché! Don't let the officials laugh at you."
"My sons and ministers obey the mother's decree!"
Empress Dowager Wei snorted and said, "Your father often said that merit should be rewarded and guilt should be punished. Officials cannot just reward without punishing. If Chen Qing commits a crime in the future, the officials will protect him, and the Ai family will not agree!"
"I don't dare!"
"Aijia is tired, please kneel down and pay your respects!"
"Mother, take a rest, I will take my leave!"
Zhao Gou kowtowed respectfully, stood up and left.
In the room, Queen Mother Wei stared at the tea cup on the table coldly, and said to herself: "If the Ai family doesn't believe it, they won't be able to deal with you!"
For the first time, Zhao Gou withstood the pressure of Empress Dowager Wei and fulfilled his promise. In the afternoon of the same day, Zhao Gou issued a decree commending Chen Qing for destroying the Yang Yao water thief.
The title of minister.
In addition, Chen Qing's officers and soldiers all received rewards.