On the fourth day of the fifth lunar month in the first year of Guangqi, the city gates of Lingzhou were opened wide. The government general Han Xun and others came out of the city to greet him on their knees, shouting "Guilty". Two thousand government officials and two thousand state soldiers also put down their weapons and lined up outside the city.
Lingzhou, an important town on the western frontier, has now completely surrendered to the Dingnan Army.
"General Han attacked and killed the guilty general Han Lang. He has meritorious service and is not guilty. Please stand up." Shao Shude said this in a loud voice. Everyone present heard it. Han Xun's face turned red and white. Obviously, the reputation of killing uncles was not the same.
Not nice.
"Where is Han Zun?" Shao Shude asked again.
"Commander, Han Zun heard the news yesterday and fled home. After killing his wife, concubines and children, he committed suicide." Han Xun replied.
"Just commit suicide out of fear of crime. Send Han Lang and his son, Kang Yuancheng's head and his family to the capital. Let General Han handle this matter. The Han family will move to Xiazhou." Shao Shude said without doubt.
"As ordered." Han Xun replied in a trembling voice. Without the foundation of Lingzhou, the Han family is like a rootless tree. If they want to rise again, they don't know how many generations of hard work it will take.
At this time, seven thousand soldiers of the Jinglue Army had entered the city and controlled everything. Shao Shude was not in a hurry to enter. Instead, he went to the Lingzhou Army where they were kneeling all over the place and said: "In the past, the Tang Marshal led Shuofang warriors and destroyed the nest.
Save the world. Shao Fang is a powerful soldier who has been famous for a long time. However, you don’t want to protect your family and country, but you attack and kill the generals and eat the common people. Do you think you are guilty?"
After that, he waved his hand, and ten generals of the personal army, Fengyin, came forward and read out a list of names. There were more than ten people in total, all of whom were generals. They were the ones who gave or took the lead in ordering the burning, killing and looting. There were even three of them.
A member of the Han clan.
We will not hold those responsible for killing Li Yuanli accountable, but we do not say we will not hold them accountable for robbing and killing people. Today we will arrest them all and give them the proper punishment.
The dozen or so people who heard the name felt something was wrong and stood up one after another with panicked expressions. Some people begged for mercy, while others turned around and tried to escape. Unexpectedly, someone from the surrendering army suddenly rose up and captured him directly, saying: "What did Commander Li want for you in the past?"
Hou? Unexpectedly, he betrayed and attacked. Today, the Lingwu County King has made the decision. Li Shuai’s spirit in heaven can rest in peace and stay with me!"
Shao's personal soldiers also stepped forward one after another and shouted: "I will only kill these ten people, so don't be surprised."
Soon, more than a dozen generals were tied up and kneeled on the ground.
Shao Shude waved his hand, and the soldiers raised their swords and dropped their swords, and their heads suddenly rolled.
"Hang his head everywhere at the city gate, and write a notice listing his crimes." Shao Shude ordered.
Han Xun gently closed his eyes. He didn't know whether it was right or wrong to surrender to Kaicheng this time. Prince Lingwu's method was obviously beyond his expectation. He not only won the hearts of Li Yuanli's old troops, but also the people.
In the heart, there are still more than ten general positions vacant. The next reorganization and annexation will be easier.
This Lingzhou is getting farther and farther away from their Han family.
After killing more than ten generals, Shao Shude went to Li Yuanli's grave in person and paid homage.
Han and Kang finally did not get the job done. If killing Duan Wenchu like Li Keyong was not enough and trampling his bones with war horses, then it is impossible to say that he would kill more people.
"In the past, when Li Guochang and his son were attacked by Hedong, Li Shuai held the Jie Xia Sui, and Shao was also Li Shuai's general. Unfortunately, we have never met, so we will pay tribute now." After the ceremony, Shao Shude looked at the small grave bag and said:
"We also have to rebuild Li Shuai's tomb."
"Let's go into the city." After a moment, Shao Shude ordered.
More than ten thousand people from the Tielin Army and the Iron Cavalry Army escorted the group into Lingzhou, while the Wuwei Army and the Yi Cong Army stayed and camped outside the city.
"Everyone, Shuofang's army must be reorganized." Shao Shude, who was sitting in Han Lang's seat, looked at the generals and said, "How many surrenders are there now?"
"Commander, thousands of Lingzhou cavalry came to surrender yesterday, and they were all guarded in the camp. The day before yesterday, they attacked at night and captured more than a thousand Lingzhou soldiers." Lu Huaizhong was the first to come out and replied.
After taking advantage of the wind and rain to defeat Kang Yuancheng, Tuoba Sigong and others fled overnight. The cavalry of Tielin Army and Wuwei Army pursued them during the day, but the effect was not good, and they returned with only hundreds of heads killed.
But Tuoba Sigong could escape, so where could the total of 1,500 Lingzhou cavalry go? His family was all in the city, and in the end, he took the initiative to surrender.
"Commander, the Dingyuan Army did not obey Han Lang's false order. As soon as our army arrived, we took the initiative to surrender. The final generals of Hongjing and Lingwu counties also captured 1,500 people, of which 500 were the strongest people in the city.
After they were released, there were still three thousand Yuqi left." Oritsugu Yu also came out and answered.
"This is five thousand cavalry." Shao Shude said: "Today another two thousand Yamen soldiers came out of the city to surrender to a certain person, totaling seven thousand people, which is very good."
"A certain person wants to build a distant army with an army of 7,500. Tielin's army will mobilize 2,000 infantry, Jinglue's army will mobilize 2,000 infantry, Wuwei's army will mobilize 1,500 infantry, and Yicong's army will mobilize 1,000 infantry. This is
That's 6,500 infantry. In addition, the Tielin and Wuwei armies each sent out 300 cavalry, and the Iron Cavalry army sent out 400 cavalry. This is a thousand cavalry, so they are organized into the Dingyuan Army." Shao Shude said.
: "Wang Yu was appointed as the envoy of Dingyuan Army, Li Yixian was appointed as the deputy envoy, Cai Songyang was appointed as the Du Yuhou, and Wei Mengbao was appointed as the envoy of Youyi to guard the eight counties of Lingyan for a certain person."
"The last general takes orders." Wang Yu and four other people came out to respond.
"Lingzhou surrenders its troops, and they will be unified and organized into Tielin, Wuwei, Jinglue, and Iron Cavalry armies. If there are insufficient, they will be recruited from the Yijun army to complete the establishment. Well, Tielin and Wuwei armies are still somewhat lacking in auxiliary troops.
The general army is still short of cavalry, so let's recruit a battalion each. Yeli, there are no two generals hidden, and when we go down later, we will ask each department if there are any who are willing to join the army." Shao Shude said.
"I will obey your orders at the end." When Ye Li encountered a strategy, Wu Zang and Jie Ming came out to respond.
After such reorganization, the Tielin Army will have 9,000 people (2,000 cavalry), the Wuwei Army will have 7,000 people (2,000 cavalry), the Jinglue Army will have 7,500 people (500 cavalry), the Dingyuan Army will have 7,500 people (1,000 cavalry), and the Iron Cavalry Army will have 3,000 people.
People, the number of Yamen in the Yi Cong Army will also be expanded to a thousand people, totaling 35,000 infantry and cavalry, which is astonishing.
However, the territory of these six states is extremely vast, the people's sentiments are complicated, and the use of force is not sufficient, so it is really difficult to rule. There are two new states and eight counties in Lingyan, but the number of Han people is less than 50,000. Even if the number of hidden households is included, the number is at most 70,000.
Up and down, with less than 600,000 Han people in six states and 22 counties supporting an army of 35,000, the financial burden is bound to be heavy.
But there is no way. What time is it now? Li Keyong is still eyeing Linzhou and asked the court to include Linzhou within the jurisdiction of Hedong. The court actually agreed. Zhenwu Army Jiedushi Qi Binzhang and Lin
Of course the Zhou Zhe family disagreed. Since there was no telling when Li Keyong would go mad and they would send troops to seize it, they had to be prepared.
Of the 35,000-strong army, only about 20,000 can be used during the expedition. Once something happens in the north, a large number of Dangxiang people will have to be recruited to help. In the previous campaign against Youzhou, Hengshan Dangxiang and grassland miscellaneous barbarians all benefited.
The first time I tried to buy spiritual salt, it seemed that even I was losing money, let alone the party members.
How should I face Ye Li Jingchen, Wu Zang Qingxiang, Wei Cai and Sudu? Should I give them a whole nephew, grandson or something? Alas, I rule with trepidation, and I feel like the six states under my jurisdiction are like a pressure cooker. This
Are there any commanders in the world who are like me, who are constantly victorious on the battlefield, but still walking on thin ice when they rule?
Perhaps, we can make up for the shortfall from Dangxiang in Hexi? Tuoba Sigong and others haven't found them yet. They are leading Dangxiang soldiers, and they might sneak back to Po Chou, Mi Qin and other troops.
In addition, Huining and Wulan counties in Huizhou, which are nominally under the jurisdiction of Shuofang Army, have been occupied by Tubo for many years. Now I heard that the power of Tubo is declining, and there are no elite soldiers and generals in Huizhou, only some small tribes. Is it possible to try to send troops?
, take it back and plunder some property by the way?
This matter needs to be carefully discussed, so as not to provoke the Tibetan army to attack, which would delay the matter.
After initially deciding on the reorganization plan, Shao Shude no longer intervened specifically. He only needed to pay attention to the progress. Anyway, there were large numbers of troops inside and outside the city, so there was no need for the Lingzhou Army to cause trouble again.
On the second day, accompanied by Chen Cheng, Guo Shu, Lu Siye and others, he inspected outside the city.
"Commander, there are no big rivers or high mountains in Lingzhou, the land route is convenient, and water transportation is developed. The Chinese army attacks, or the powerful enemy from the north invades, these are all important channels. In the past, Taizong visited Lingzhou, recruited various tribes, and obtained false heaven.
The honorable title of Khan." Outside Lingzhou City, Chen Cheng talked eloquently: "The commander-in-chief has captured the six prefectures of Xia Sui Yin You Ling Yan. The territory is vast, with a meander in the south and a river loop in the north. It is three thousand miles up and down, and more than a thousand miles inside and outside. It is suitable for
More improvement can be the foundation for hegemony."
"Today, we still have the three prefectures of Lin, Sheng, and Feng, and the three surrendered cities in the west and east. Zhenwu Army City has not yet been conquered, and all the ministries and parties have not yet been peaceful. How can An An sit back and relax?" Shao Shude, riding a tall horse, pointed to a place in the distance and asked: "
Is this a salt pond?”
"This is a hot spring salt pool, which produces salt." Chen Cheng replied: "There are many salt pools in Lingzhou, but they are not as rich as Yanzhou, which produces more salt, let alone Youzhou. Marshal, the wealth of Lingzhou is not salt, but thousands of miles of fertile soil.
.”
"In Huile County, there is the Bogulu Canal. It was opened by Diao Yong during the Northern Wei Dynasty. It can still irrigate more than a thousand hectares of farmland." Chen Cheng continued: "In Lingwu County in Hexi Province, there is the Han Canal, which stretches for more than 40 miles.
There are eight canals on the left and right such as Hu Canal, Yushi Canal, Baijia Canal, etc. Hongjing County was established during the Northern Wei Dynasty to attract Han people from Guandong to farm. It is commonly known as "Hancheng" and can irrigate thousands of hectares of flat fields. Huaiyuan County has more irrigation canals and Helian County.
During the period, there were orchards, grain storage warehouses, and three salt ponds. Commander, these are all canal fields that still exist today. There are also countless irrigation canals, which are slightly blocked because they have not been cultivated for many years. If this is done by immigrants, they should be improved
After cleaning up, the entire Lingzhou can be irrigated with hundreds of thousands of hectares of fertile land, which is the foundation of the king's dominance."
"There is no need for hundreds of thousands of hectares." Shao Shude said with a smile: "With only one hundred thousand hectares of irrigated land and one household receiving fifty acres of land, we can support two hundred thousand households and one million people. With this million people, how can we support more than one million people?"
Together with the people of the Fan and Han Dynasties in other states, we can raise an army of 100,000 people just by gritting our teeth. Is there any town in the world that can raise 100,000 soldiers? It’s a pity that there are not so many people!”
The biggest advantage of the Yinchuan Plain is that the land is extremely flat and stretches as far as the eye can see, and is irrigated by the Yellow River and its tributaries. The best thing is that the channels are basically gravity canals, so there is no need to build water trucks. Since the Qin and Han Dynasties, a large number of irrigation canal networks have been built in all dynasties.
The foundation is very good, so it is known as the Fortress of Jiangnan.
The only thing missing is probably population.
Where will you get the population? If there is sufficient population, the Xia Suiyin three states that are currently being vigorously developed will not even need to continue to invest. You can directly move the ruling center to Lingzhou, then take Hexi to the west, go to the grassland to the north, and attack to the south.
The towns of Yingning, Jingyuan, and Fengxiang can even peek into Shu, making it easy to achieve hegemony.
The crux of all problems lies in the lack of population. Since the An-Shi Rebellion, the state has been neglecting Lingzhou for too long!
Acquisition of the population should be the focus of the next stage, and plans must be made in advance.