Pingzhou, like Fengzhou, is a border town. The difference is that Pingzhou is adjacent to the Yan Kingdom and Fengzhou is also a foreign country.
Xiao Jingxuan traveled day and night with more than two thousand cavalry, and finally arrived in Pingzhou nineteen days later.
Although it is a border town, there are not many wars in Pingzhou. However, Xiao Jingxuan was still a little disappointed when he saw such a remote city in front of him.
After arriving in Pingzhou City, Xiao Jingxuan arranged for the army to rest outside the city, and then entered Pingzhou City with the guard battalion.
The army was marching out in consecutive days, and they were all cavalry, so the first thing they did when they arrived in Yingzhou was food and pay.
Different from Fengzhou, although Pingzhou is also a border town, it is also a county town.
Therefore, if the army needs food and pay, they will go to the governor of Pingzhou.
Although Xiao Jingxuan was demoted, he was still a third-rank general Yunhui, while the county governor was only a fourth-rank civil servant.
Therefore, Xiao Jingxuan had no scruples and went straight to the Sheriff's Mansion with his personal guards.
With the notification from the gatekeeper, Xiao Jingxuan finally met the county guard.
Xiao Jingxuan followed the servants of the Sheriff's Mansion and came to the living room. Seeing the Sheriff sitting in the first place, Xiao Jingxuan was slightly unhappy.
However, Xiao Jingxuan suppressed his dissatisfaction and politely greeted the county governor: "General Xiao Jingxuan has met the county governor."
As Xiao Jingxuan said this, logically, the county guard should stand up and reply. Who knows that the county guard was sitting on his seat and did not stand up. He just said lightly: "General, you are polite. I am polite."
Damn it, a county guard actually called himself an official in front of Xiao Jingxuan, so brave.
"This general has just come to Pingzhou. My army is in urgent need of food, pay and supplies. I would like to ask the county governor to provide it."
It has to be said that the ignorant are fearless. After hearing that Xiao Jingxuan asked for something, the county guard said arrogantly: "Well, there is insufficient food and grass in Pingzhou City. Please wait for a few days and I will send it after I have allocated it from the counties under my command."
Come to your camp."
"Don't you know your name?"
"I am Lin Shihang."
Seeing the county governor's proud name, Xiao Jingxuan smiled and burst into laughter.
Lin Shihang was a little confused when he laughed, so he asked: "What, is there anything funny about my name?"
Xiao Jingxuan shook his head and said with a smile: "No, it's none of your business. I just thought of something funny."
After saying this, Xiao Jingxuan's expression changed, and he said murderously: "Then do you know my official name? Do you know why I came to Pingzhou to take office? I suggest you ask around. Today, before sunset, if the food and salary are returned
If it’s not in place, my lord, just do it yourself.”
After finishing speaking, Xiao Jingxuan left the Sheriff's Mansion without looking back. After leaving the Sheriff's Mansion, Xiao Jingxuan said to Xu Ce who was waiting at the door: "Where is the general's mansion? Have you found out?"
"The general has already made inquiries. Your Excellency's official residence is not far away. In addition, the situation in the city is a bit complicated. How about we wait until we arrive at the residence?"
Looking at Xu Ce in surprise, Xiao Jingxuan nodded and said: "Lead the way."
After arriving at the mansion, Xu Ce began to introduce the situation in Pingzhou.
Pingzhou City is a border city with jurisdiction over five counties, Changli County, Xiangping County, Xinchang County, Wangping County and Pingzhou City.
Pingzhou has three thousand soldiers, almost all of them infantry. Since Wei and Yan did not have many wars, there were not many garrison troops.
Moreover, the population of Pingzhou as a whole is not large. In addition, banditry is serious, so it is not too much to say that people's livelihood is in decline.
Although it is just a general news now, Xiao Jingxuan is still sighing.
It seems that I still have to work harder, otherwise, I will probably die in Pingzhou.
Xiao Jingxuan began to walk around the mansion. The general's mansion was not big, and it may have been uninhabited for a long time, so it was a bit desolate.
There are no servants in the mansion, only an old concierge remains.
Seeing this situation, Xiao Jingxuan could only ask the personal guards to pay attention and see if they could find a few maids, cooks, and handymen to search the house first.
I walked around the streets with Xu Ce. Pingzhou City was not very big, so the streets were not very busy either.
While the two were shopping, a personal guard came over. After seeing Xiao Jingxuan, the personal guard hurried forward to report.
"General, the county guard brought the food transport team to the military camp in person. He also wanted to visit the general in person. However, we sent him away."
Xiao Jingxuan and Xu Ce looked at each other and smiled.
Xu Ce smiled and said: "The general's reputation is far-reaching. It seems that the county guard knows your lord's prestigious reputation."
Xiao Jingxuan also smiled and shook his head: "You are still aware of current affairs. Forget it. Xu Ce, you have to be busy these days. First, send someone to pay close attention to the army in Pingzhou City to see what is going on.
Second, send people to several counties to see not only the defenders, but also the people's livelihood in various places.
Third, send out cavalry and give me a map of Pingzhou and its vicinity. Be careful. This matter is not urgent."
After hearing Xiao Jingxuan's instructions, Xu Ce immediately took the order to leave and go to arrange things.
Immediately afterwards, after Xiao Jingxuan returned to the mansion, he wrote a letter and said to the guards on the side: "Give this letter to Duke Liang."
After making the arrangements, Xiao Jingxuan began to think about the future arrangements. The military power must be seized, and the cavalry on the left and right guards must be dispersed. Otherwise, it may be difficult for him to completely control it.
The defenders of Pingzhou must also take good care of themselves. The bandits outside the city are the best opponents for them to train their troops.
The next day, Xiao Jingxuan summoned all the generals in the army to discuss matters in his mansion.
The total military strength of Pingzhou is 4,000, including 2,000 defenders in the city and 500 soldiers in each county under his command.
But what makes people laugh or cry is that the tallest among these people is just a guerrilla general. And there is only one of them. The other two are just Guidelang generals.
After seeing the configuration of his men, Xiao Jingxuan was a little helpless. Pingzhou was still too poor and could not support an army.
"In the past few days, I hope all the ministries will work hard to practice. Although there is no major war in Pingzhou, bandits are rampant in the territory, and occasionally Yan State's rangers come to plunder. This is not good."
"The last general takes orders."
Seeing those generals receiving their orders respectfully, Xiao Jingxuan could only talk about his great achievements to shock them.
"You must have heard of my reputation. Although I have been demoted now, I was once named Pingman Hou. My reputation should still be spread among the barbarians.
Also, I want to run the army very strictly, so you have to take care of yourself."
After the meeting, Xiao Jingxuan frequently visited various military camps in the next few days. At the same time, he also sent scouts to investigate the bandits near Pingzhou.
Just like that, half a month later, Xiao Jingxuan led 2,000 cavalry, 2,000 infantry, and 200 personal guards towards the outside of Pingzhou City.
This time, Xiao Jingxuan led the army to Changli County. After investigation by scouts, it was found that there are three groups of bandits currently entrenched in Pingzhou.
One of them is entrenched in Funiu Mountain in Changli County. It is said that this group of bandits has a total number of about a thousand people. They often rob passing merchants and sometimes even rob villages.
There are only 500 defenders in Changli County, and the terrain of Funiu Mountain is complex, so the government has always been helpless about Funiu Mountain.
Xiao Jingxuan gathered 4,000 troops this time for the purpose of training troops, and also to select some available people for promotion.
Xiao Jingxuan sent cavalry and ordered Xu Ce to be the vanguard. He led the cavalry to Funiu Mountain and surrounded the bandits in Funiu Mountain. He also followed the infantry and then arrived.
After two days of rapid march, Xiao Jingxuan finally arrived near Funiu Mountain on the afternoon of the next day.
Arriving at the Chinese army tent that had been set up a long time ago, Xiao Jingxuan looked at the map and felt a little headache.
The terrain of Funiu Mountain is really too complicated. Of course, the leader of the bandits still has some vision.
Although the cavalry surrounded Funiu Mountain, there was only one narrow path in and out of Funiu Mountain, and there were fortifications along the way.
If we attack by force, the casualties will undoubtedly be huge. After staring at the map for a long time, Xiao Jingxuan was still very curious.
"How did these bandits find water sources, and how did they deliver the looted materials up the mountain?"
This is when a team member of Zuo Xiaowei bowed respectfully.
"Back to the general, the mountain behind Funiu Mountain is a cliff, and these bandits have set up a hanging basket here. As for the water source, there is probably a well in the mountain."
Xiao Jingxuan nodded after listening.
"Let's make arrangements and let the troops rest for a night. In addition, if you pass the order, whoever has a strategy to defeat the enemy will be rewarded heavily."
After everyone retreated, Xiao Jingxuan said to the bodyguard: "Come a few people and accompany me to visit Funiu Mountain."
With four personal guards, Xiao Jingxuan walked along Funiu Mountain and looked over the surrounding terrain.
After reading, Xiao Jingxuan looked at the guards beside him and asked casually: "What do you think?"
The guards looked at me and I looked at you, all shaking their heads.
Xiao Jingxuan sighed.
"We used to fight against the barbarians. As long as the soldiers were brave and kept in good order, then the army would push through. Now, in this kind of terrain, the infantry is the main force. Your thinking needs to change. From now on, you will all serve as officers.
.”
As mentioned before, Xiao Jingxuan's personal guards are similar to military schools. All personal guards are composed of low-level officers or future low-level officers. Therefore, Xiao Jingxuan usually pays more attention to the training of personal guards.
Looking around, Xiao Jingxuan has been thinking that it is not difficult to capture Funiu Mountain. He can choose some masters from the army and charge directly. It will not be a big problem.
With his own martial arts, a mere Funiu Mountain cannot stop him. However, he is here to train the bravery of his infantry, and he cannot train his troops on his own.
However, Xiao Jingxuan felt unreliable just by relying on these infantrymen.
What should we do? Just when Xiao Jingxuan returned to the military camp and was thinking about a clever plan to defeat the enemy, a personal guard came to report and rushed outside the military camp to see him.
Hearing the news, Xiao Jingxuan was a little overjoyed and quickly asked his personal guards to invite people in. This chapter has been completed!