Zhou Lie said suspiciously: "General, although I also suspect that Long Rui's army is heading towards the Fucheng Trading Ground, there is still a huge doubt in it."
"oh?"
"After Long Ruijun came out of the border, although he recruited troops, he did not prepare to build a naval army." Zhou Lie said seriously: "The general knows that building a naval army is not as simple as just building a few warships. The most important thing is
The goal is to train navy soldiers who are good at fighting. From selection to training, to familiarity with warships and army combat methods, and finally to the skills of fighting the enemy, it is absolutely impossible for navy soldiers to develop the skills in less than a year and a half.
A naval force."
Regarding the navy, Zhou Lie naturally had the absolute say, but Wang Xingchao nodded slightly.
"This is just to train ordinary sailors." Zhou Lie said slowly: "If you want to train a truly elite navy, it will take at least three years to train an excellent navy general, unless you are extremely talented.
, otherwise you must have at least five years of maritime experience." After a pause, he continued: "According to the information we received, the pirates flew the python flag. Such a flag has never appeared at sea. Those sea pirates
The bandits are all well-trained, and many of them are good at archery, so these are no ordinary pirates."
"I know what you mean. Are you saying that Qin Xiao can't have such a constant navy under his command?" Wang Xingchao smiled faintly and said calmly: "He can't even train his cavalry, so naturally he doesn't have the energy to train the navy.
"
Zhou Lie nodded and said: "This is what I mean." After thinking for a moment, he said: "Long Ruijun wants to rely on the Black Mountain Trading Center to make money...!" As soon as he said this, he felt that there was something wrong with what he said.
Wang Xingchao did not continue talking, but he was calm and unconcerned. With a slight smile on his lips, he said, "Keep talking."
"They want to cut off the trade routes in Fucheng, so there is no need to doubt their motive." Zhou Lie said slowly: "But how did Qin Xiao get in touch with this pirate? Where did this pirate come from?"
Wang Xingchao stroked his beard gently and asked with a smile: "Zi Yang, you should still remember the chaos at the Queen Mother Association in Suzhou last year."
"Remember." Zhou Lie said immediately: "In the end, it was Qin Xiao who put down the rebellion. This man still made great contributions to the Tang Dynasty."
Wang Xingchao's eyes were sharp and he continued to ask: "Then do you know what Qin Xiao relied on to put down the rebellion?"
Zhou Lie was startled, but Wang Xingchao did not wait for his answer, and said slowly: "After Suzhou suppressed the rebellion, I sent people to investigate in detail the process of Qin Xiao's suppression of the rebellion. Although a large part of the reason was that the Queen Mother kept making stupid moves, and internal
It was chaotic, and the congregation was just a mob, but Qin Xiao finally succeeded in suppressing the rebellion, and one of the reasons that determined success or failure was the involvement of Taihu pirates."
"I know," Zhou Lie said immediately: "Linghu Xuan occupies hundreds of miles of waters in Taihu Lake and controls the islands of Taihu Lake. He has tens of thousands of people under his command, and it is rumored that there are nearly a thousand boats. Although most of them are just fishing boats,
Warships are definitely indispensable."
Wang Xingchao nodded and said: "Yes. The Taihu Bandits are not weak and they occupy Taihu Lake. According to common sense, the court will never allow such a team to exist. But the Taihu Bandits and the Jiangnan family are incompatible. After the current saint ascended the throne, he has feelings for the Jiangnan family.
Be careful, back then the Zhao family of Duke Cheng was raided and executed, and the Jiangnan family was even more resentful towards the imperial court. The saint was naturally aware of this, and had been condoning the existence of the Taihu pirates, in fact, it was to restrain the Jiangnan family."
"General, raising bandits will definitely lead to trouble." Zhou Lie looked solemn: "The current strength of the Taihu pirates cannot be underestimated. I am afraid that several of our naval forces in the Tang Dynasty will not be able to match them." After saying this, his body was shaken,
He seemed to realize something and said in surprise: "General, do you mean to say that the pirates who intercepted the merchant ship this time are related to the Taihu pirates?"
Wang Xingchao sighed: "Otherwise, where did Qin Xiao find the navy?"
Zhou Lie stood up suddenly, clenched his fist and said: "The Taihu pirates attacked the merchant ship, which is treason. Qin Xiao instigated it behind the scenes, which is even more unforgivable...!"
"Ziyang, don't worry, sit down first." Wang Xing said, "That band of pirates is most likely the Taihu Pirates sent to impersonate them, otherwise I really can't imagine where they came from." Looking at Zhou Lie, he said, "If it is indeed the case.
The Taihu Pirates, and it was Qin Xiao who was behind the instigation. Once the truth about this matter is revealed, Qin Xiao and the Taihu Pirates will be in great danger. But think about it, why do they dare to act so recklessly even though they know that the consequences will be disastrous if they are caught?
?”
Zhou Lie said: "Are they confident that we can't catch them?"
"It is said that there are tens of thousands of Taihu pirates and nearly a thousand boats, but I'm afraid even the court cannot know the real details." Wang Xingchao's eyes were deep and calm: "What if Linghu Xuan secretly dispatched a group of sailors to go out?
Taihu Lake entered the East China Sea quietly, and the court could not detect it at all. On the East China Sea, islands were scattered like stars. This group of people found an island to settle in the East China Sea and brought sufficient supplies. Even if they did not return to Taihu Lake for a year and a half, they would not be able to detect it.
able to survive.”
Zhou Lie's expression was solemn, his lips moved slightly, but he didn't speak.
"We are just guessing that the pirates are related to the Taihu pirates, but we can't provide any evidence." Wang Xingchao said seriously: "The saint has always supported the Taihu pirates. In the previous rebellion, the Taihu pirates made military exploits. The saint only
You would think that Jiangnan is even more indispensable for the Taihu Pirates. Under such circumstances, without real evidence, it is impossible for the court to send people to Taihu to investigate. To say the least, even if the court really sends people to investigate whether the pirates are related to the Taihu Pirates, the Taihu Pirates are also
They are willing to allow officials to enter Taihu Lake, but the court cannot determine how many people there are in Taihu Lake. There are hundreds of people missing and there is no way to find out."
Zhou Lie knew that what Wang Xingchao said was true, and his expression became even more ugly.
"The incident in western Liaoning has proved the attitude of the imperial court." Wang Xingchao sighed and said: "Our Liaodong Army has guarded the Northeast for the Tang Dynasty for hundreds of years and served the country loyally. However, in the eyes of some people in the imperial court, we have become the local snakes in the Northeast.
Many of them even slandered the Liaodong Army as if they were separatist and self-reliant in the Northeast, and they wanted to be punished. But these rumors spread so much that the saint had to become suspicious, otherwise it would be impossible to send Qin Xiao to lead troops out of the pass to restrain us.
"
Zhou Lie actually didn't have much interest in this kind of power struggle, but he also knew that the imperial court was indeed wary of the Liaodong Army when it sent Long Rui's army out.
Wang Xing stroked his beard and said: "Without the support of the imperial court, how could Qin Xiao control western Liaoning in a short period of time? I really underestimated Qin Xiao and was caught off guard by him. The imperial court's attitude is already very clear, that is, it is supporting him behind the scenes.
Long Rui's army is based in the northeast and has become a thorn in our side, so if we don't have conclusive evidence, we can't implicate Qin Xiao in intercepting the merchant ship."
"The general summoned the humble general to come, so he must have thought of a countermeasure." Zhou Lie was naturally not stupid, he already knew it in his heart, and said with his hands in hand: "If the general has any orders, just tell them."
Wang Xingchao said sternly: "Ziyang, I know that you are upright and honest, and regard money as dirt. But you should know how important the Fucheng Trade Market is to the Liaodong Army. If Qin Xiao really succeeds, cut him off.
After entering the water and land trade routes, and the Fucheng Trade Center was destroyed by them, the Liaodong Army's tens of thousands of troops could only wait to die. The Liaodong Army today, although the good and the bad are mixed, is after all the foundation laid by our ancestors, and it was ruined at the hands of Qin Xiao
Here, that is absolutely impossible."
Zhou Lie couldn't help but nod.
"So the only way is to find evidence of collusion between Qin Xiao and the Taihu pirates." Wang Xingchao's eyes were like knives and he said coldly: "As long as the Taihu pirates who intercepted the merchant ships can be captured, we can definitely find out from their mouths the evidence of collusion with Qin Xiao.
Evidence, once this happens, we can not only restore the maritime trade routes, we can even use this opportunity to uproot the Long Rui Army from the Northeast. They are pressing harder and harder in the Northeast, and I have repeatedly given in, but if we really find an opportunity to send troops,
That can never be let go."
Zhou Lie understood and said: "The general wants to seize the evidence that Qin Xiao colluded with the Taihu pirates. At that time, the generals of the Liaodong Army and officials from the northeastern counties will jointly impeach Qin Xiao and expel him from the northeast. If the court returns
If we want to protect them, we don’t need to be polite anymore and directly attack Liaoxi on the charge of counterinsurgency."
"So the most important thing is to have the evidence in hand." Wang Xingchao said: "Qin Xiao wants to cut off the maritime trade routes, so the Taihu pirates pretending to be pirates will keep cruising on the sea and intercept all merchant ships coming to Changsheng Port.
." A smile appeared on the corner of his lips, and he said: "Ziyang, do you understand what I mean now?"
Zhou Lie's eyes became cold and stern, and he said: "General, I understand."
"That's very good." Wang Xingchao stood up and said with a smile: "Don't worry, I have already asked people to prepare a dinner. After dinner, I will make detailed plans with you."
While Wang Xingchao and Zhou Lie were planning, Qin Xiao was sitting opposite Gu Baiyi in the main tent of Long Rui Army at Songyang Racecourse. There were several dishes of side dishes on the table. Qin Xiao was holding a wine pot and pouring wine for Gu Baiyi.
Serving the wine, he said with a smile: "Brother, this is a good wine brought from Guangning. Do you like it if you try it?"
"Alcohol is prohibited in the army, and the maximum limit is this bottle." Gu Baiyi smiled.
Apart from military books, his biggest hobby is fine wine, and he has a huge capacity for drinking. Even if he drinks a bottle of wine, he can only taste it.
"Brother, after drinking this pot of wine, you should tell me the truth." Qin Xiao said with a smile: "Tell the truth, but you arranged the interception of merchant ships at sea? We didn't expect that the Liaodong Army would use the sea to transport goods.
, but you had already expected that the pirates would intercept the merchant ships, when did you deploy them?"