Guo Rong's personal expedition was different from that of ordinary emperors.
Generally, when the emperor personally conducts military campaigns, he usually arranges for people to supervise the country, and then, assisted by high-status ministers, he concentrates on handling military affairs.
However, Guo Rong's personal expedition was accompanied by the prime minister, which was equivalent to moving half of the imperial court to the front line, handling government affairs and military affairs at the same time. Wang Pu, who stayed in Beijing, mainly maintained the operation of the capital city of Kaifeng and Bianliang.
crucial food and grass supply.
This is also a helpless act under the times.
In this era where subordinates suppress superiors and officials usurp the throne, it is common practice.
Kings often dare not pass on their power to their sons, fearing that their young sons will not be able to subdue arrogant soldiers and powerful generals, and others will take over the world.
Like Guo Rong, who wants brothers but has no brothers, his only son is not old enough to play with urine and mud.
There was no one to train him at all, so he could only be grasped by the military and political affairs. Even on the battlefield, he took half of the imperial court with him.
Wherever people are, they are walking.
Whenever he went to a place for renovations, Guo Rong would immediately summon officials to deal with administrative confidentiality.
Luo Youdu was also among them. He had no power to participate in the government affairs, but he did not have enough manpower, and he did not pay much attention to it when he went on an expedition. He also got used to the habit of being informed about political affairs, and he also had a certain understanding of the internal government affairs of the Zhou Dynasty.
learn.
Luo Youdu also had some respect for the father and son duo of Guo Wei and Guo Rong. Compared to monarchs like Li Jing and Meng Chang who put their own enjoyment first, Guo Wei and Guo Rong were really ambitious and ambitious to do great things.
Being in a high position and being able to resist all kinds of temptations and indulge in a great cause really requires a lot of self-control.
Luo Youdu experienced that feeling in later generations and knew that it was not easy to be like Guo Rong.
No wonder later generations have such a high opinion of Guo Rong, and there is even a tendency to praise him.
It's really not surprising at all. Apart from being hot-tempered and bad-tempered, there is no trace of stain on Guo Rong's character throughout the history books.
Perhaps this is also related to his untimely death. Anyone who dies young leaves infinite possibilities to future generations.
Because they brought half of the imperial court with them, their marching speed was not very fast.
On December 25, Guo Rong arrived in Chenzhou.
Luo Youdu received news from the south through the intelligence network.
all the best.
Qiqiu of the Song Dynasty believed in his high achievements. After Li Jing came to the throne, he did not have much respect for the new master of the Southern Tang Dynasty, and demoted Li Jing to Jiuhua Mountain.
Song Qiqiu was too arrogant and offended many people.
His derogation naturally led to someone adding insult to injury.
No one thought that Song Qiqiu would rise again, which would inevitably cause panic among those who had fallen into trouble.
With Song Qiqiu's character, he would not let go of those who added insult to injury, and those people would not sit still and wait for death.
As long as you add more fire, it will be the knife that kills Song Qiqiu.
The stratagem itself is not clever, but it can often serve the interests of both parties. Even if someone sees the problem, they will pretend not to know and just go along with it.
On the first day of the first lunar month of the third year of Xiande, Luo Youdu spent his second Spring Festival in this era on the march.
Luo Youdu is a southerner who lives in the Pearl River. He has the custom of making a fortune and has prepared red envelopes for the New Year before coming.
All the soldiers of the Royal Camp Division received eight Zhouyuan Tongbao, and Zhang Qiong and Pan Mei received eighteen more.
The quantity is not much, just for the sake of celebration.
Everyone in the army was also beaming with joy.
But the soldiers from the Palace Front Division and the Guards Division who were traveling with him were so envious that they wished they could be in the Imperial Camp Division.
Li Chongjin and Zhang Yongde, the two bodyguards who were in charge of the military affairs department, and the chief of the palace front department, were so angry that they itched their teeth.
Damn it, there are only 500 people in the Royal Camp Division, even if one person has ten Tongbao, it is only 5,000.
The bodyguards, military officers, and palace officers can easily spend thousands or tens of thousands. Who would be willing to spend tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands to give out red envelopes?
You can only turn a blind eye and listen but not hear.
The fifteenth day of the first lunar month is the day of the Lantern Festival.
Luo Youdu once again received news from the Southern Tang Dynasty.
Song Qiqiu was demoted to Jiuhua Mountain again.
Luo Youdu handed the information to Guo Rong.
Guo Rong laughed and said: "It's amazing. Without the old fox Song Qiqiu, our army has at least a 20% chance of winning."
Luo Youdu said: "I underestimated Li Jing's generosity and thought that Song Qiqiu would directly execute Li Jing."
They spent the Spring Festival in the first month on the march.
But Li Jing, who was accustomed to enjoying himself, could not care so much and held a feast in the palace.
Please invite Zhou Zong, Song Qiqiu and other civil and military ministers to celebrate the New Year together.
Zhou Zong and Song Qiqiu are elders of the Southern Tang Dynasty. They are both confidants of the founding emperor Li Min. Now one is seventy-nine and the other is seventy-eight, occupying the first row at the banquet.
However, Song Qiqiu did not bother to sit with Zhou Zong at the same table and walked away without caring about Li Jing, the emperor's face.
Li Jing didn't like Song Qiqiu at all, so it was a helpless move to invite him back.
Now he was looking down upon him in front of the civil and military officials of the court, and he was filled with anger in his heart. The ministers headed by Zhou Zong also added jealousy to the side and said: "The court needs Mr. Song to defend against the enemy."
They did not accuse Song Qiqiu of being incompetent to Li Jing, but instead persuaded Li Jing to calm down.
Li Jing was so angry that he shouted: "Should I entrust the foundation of the Tang Dynasty to a madman who has no superiority?"
As soon as these words came out, Song Qiqiu's fate could be seen.
However, Li Jing's generosity was somewhat beyond Luo Youdu's expectations. Even after this, he did not kill people with a knife, but continued to let Song Qiqiu go to Jiuhua Mountain to be his hermit immortal.
Guo Rong dismissed this and said: "It is because he was too kind that Song Qiqiu dared to be so shameless. If the king is not the king, and the minister is not the minister, what big thing can he do?"
Luo Youdu was right when he thought about it. With Guo Rong's bad temper, Song Qiqiu would not be able to survive even one chapter under his command.
On the 19th, after 24 days of trekking.
Guo Rong arrived at the foot of Shouzhou City, and Li Gu led twelve generals out of camp to greet him.
Guo Rong was obviously still angry with Li Gu, his face was sullen, with displeasure written all over it.
"Get up!"
However, in order to prevent the soldiers from overthinking, they still encouraged the general's bravery, took over Li Gu's command, and held a military meeting.
Within the large tent, headed by Li Chongjin, Zhang Yongde, Xiang Xun, Wang Yanchao, Bai Chongzan, Hou Zhang, Li Jixun, Zhao Kuangzan, Yuan Yan and other Zhou veterans, as well as Zhao Kuangyin, Gao Huaide, Yang Guangyi, Shi Shouxin, Wang Shenqi and other new star generals
Gathering together, it can be said that the new and old stars of Da Zhou are gathered together.
"What's going on now!"
Guo Rong looked at Li Gu.
Li Gu said: "The defender of Shouzhou is well defended. We have tried various methods, but with little effect. As for the two reinforcements from the Southern Tang Dynasty, there has been no movement. Huangfu Hui's 30,000 troops stationed in Dingyuan have no intention of going north.
As for Liu Yanzhen’s navy, I don’t know where they are.”
Guo Rong said solemnly: "Why don't you think about it? The water level in the Jianghuai River drops in winter, and boats cannot sail freely. When the water level rises in spring, water and land will move forward together to relieve the siege of Shouzhou."
He pondered for a moment and said, "I want to see if this Shouzhou is really that difficult to chew."
His move was a massive one. He recruited 200,000 soldiers from Songzhou, Haozhou, Chenzhou, Yingzhou, Xuzhou, Suzhou, Xuzhou, Caizhou and other places for the purpose of attacking the city.