Chapter two hundred and sixty seventh overall situation
"Sir, Zu Keyong's troops and the Anqing garrison clashed at the north end of Zhulong Bridge. Both sides suffered injuries, but no one was killed." Zhou Yuanru whispered to him outside a roadside food shop at the south end of Zhulong Bridge.
Lu Xiangsheng, who was wearing Confucian uniform, said.
After several consecutive days of marching and fighting, Lu Xiangsheng's face was dusty, and his Confucian uniform also had a lot of stains. Since the bandits came out last year, Lu Xiangsheng has been running all the way, but only achieved two small victories, unable to reverse the overall situation.
The hinterland of the Central Plains was violent and under tremendous pressure. This time, they chased from Henan to South Zhili and finally forced the rogue bandits into a decisive battle in Chuzhou. The 200,000 rogue bandits gathered by Gao Yingxiang vanished into thin air, and only the fleeing slaves near Chuzhou were
More than 100,000 cavalrymen, the core combat force of the rogue bandits, also suffered heavy losses, all their supplies were lost, and they no longer have the ability to attack the city in the short term.
Although after the victory, Lu Xiangsheng did not look relaxed. He let out a low hum and looked around the Zhulong Bridge. The corpses in the streets and alleys south of the bridge were piled on the roadside, and the stone slabs on the street were somewhat black.
There were bloodstains, smoke billowed from the houses on both sides of the road, and firemen from various ministries were cooking.
"But what's the fight for?"
"The first is military merit. Zu Keyong said that the victory of Zhulong Bridge was achieved by the Liao army's vanguard. The second was the scattered horses. Zu Keyong believed that they should belong to the Liao army, while Napang garrison insisted that they belonged to Anqing.
The garrison battalion and Yingtian Governor Biao's battalion chased to Zhulong Bridge, causing the bandits to scramble and stampede them, and they won. The battle merits and seizures all belong to them."
"Have you missed the pursuit?"
"Zu Keyong was the vanguard. He was delayed for more than half an hour. After Li Zhongzhen arrived at Zhulong Bridge, he sent another troops to pursue Dingyuan."
Lu Xiangsheng did not speak, but a civil servant next to him bowed and said, "Your Excellency is busy with military affairs, and the road from here is smooth. I will not bother you, Prime Minister. On behalf of the millions of people in Chuzhou, I would like to thank you again for your kindness in rescuing Chuzhou."
As he spoke, he bowed down. Lu Xiangsheng signaled to Zhou Yuanru, who immediately went to help the civil servant up.
"It is our duty to kill thieves for the country, but Mr. Li, who went to the city to help guard the city as a servant of the temple, and killed the thieves who crossed the city at night, is a model for today's literati. Mr. Li played an indispensable role in Chuzhou's victory this time.
.There are 200,000 bandits under the Chuzhou City. Yesterday, less than 10,000 people were killed at Wuli Bridge. About tens of thousands were captured by various ministries under this officer. There are still many bandits scattered around the city, rearing together on foot, leaving behind the sound of thunder.
The troops are assisting the guards. Mr. Li has returned to Chuzhou. He also needs to pay more attention to Magistrate Liu to properly deal with these refugees.
That civil servant was Li Sijue, minister of Dali Temple in Nanjing. Nanjing Taipu Temple was located in Chuzhou and was the only central agency stationed in Chuzhou. The office was located by Longchi in the southwest of Chuzhou City. This time it was also severely damaged by rogue bandits, so naturally it was
He was besieged in Chuzhou City. On the day when the bandits and horse soldiers arrived, he led his men on patrol at night and killed a bandit who quietly climbed over the wall, thus saving Chuzhou from the fate of Hezhou.
He listened to Lu Xiangsheng's words and agreed repeatedly, and was quite respectful to Lu Xiangsheng. Taipu Temple was an institution for raising horses for the imperial court, but the rank was not equal to Bi Ma Wen. The rank of the minister of Taipus Temple was from the third rank, and Lu Xiangsheng was formerly the governor of Qiandu.
Huguang was also an official of the third rank. The Prime Minister of the Five Provinces for Suppressing Bandits was a temporary position and had no rank. Therefore, the imperial court gave Lu Xiangsheng the title of Minister of War. The official of the third rank was half a rank higher than the local governor. This made it easier for him to communicate with Lu Xiang.
Local dealings.
However, Li Sijue's respect for Lu Xiangsheng does not come from his rank, because the half-level higher is not the actual jurisdiction and has no practical use. Lu Xiangsheng's recent rise has been amazing, and he has been promoted three times in two years. At present, most officials believe that Lu Xiangsheng will be promoted to the position of Minister of the Ministry of War sooner or later.
But the most important thing is the emperor. This time the bandits are defeated, the emperor will definitely be more favored. Lu Xiangsheng, the prime minister of the five provinces, has the right to report directly. The emperor is extremely happy to see the victory report. As long as Li Sijue is mentioned in it,
It is more effective than working hard for five years.
So Li Sijue left the city immediately after the Wuli Bridge battle yesterday, and followed Lu Xiangsheng to coordinate Chuzhou's supply of grain and grass. At the same time, he also represented the local government as a witness for the Tang newspaper. He followed him all the way to Zhulong Bridge, and his performance was enough. At this time, Zhou Yuanru heard that
It was inconvenient for him to listen to these Qiu Ba's disputes.
"Chuzhou is the key to Yingtian's gateway to the north of the Yangtze River. Mr. Li has been stationed here for a long time. We should ask the Nanjing princes to make plans in advance to prevent the rogue bandits from attacking again."
"Your Majesty, I understand. This..." Li Sijue paused and said, "My Majesty, I admire you when I see you. You might as well tell me the truth. When the bandits entered Nanzhi this time, the Southern Military Department transferred the Nanjing Shenji Battalion.
Three thousand people went to Chuzhou, but who knew that the bandits had gone to Puzikou first. Naturally, the Southern Military Department firstly protected Nanjing and transferred the Shenji Battalion back to Fangjiang via the waterway. Therefore, there were no soldiers in Chuzhou. If the adults had not come to rescue them, they would have been defeated.
It's like being in danger like a pile of eggs."
Lu Xiangsheng said gently, "The trouble of bandits is already raging, and the north is corrupted. Nanjing princes want to ensure the safety of the south of the Yangtze River, and they are also cleaning up. However, the safety of Nanjing is not in the river, but in the north of the river, Chuzhou, Jiangpu, Liuhe, and Yangzhou."
If it is not protected, a big river cannot stop the rogue bandits."
The words were polite, but Li Sijue knew that Lu Xiangsheng was complaining about the Southern War Department. Since the rise of the rogue bandits, there have been more and more scholars in both the government and the public discussing military affairs. Li Sijue also read basic military books. He understood that defending the Jiang must defend the Huai River.
, Taizu first captured Chuzhou and then Jiangnan.
"The lower official will definitely convey this intention to the Nanjing princes." Li Sijue said and bowed before him. Lu Xiangsheng said goodbye to him politely and stood there watching Li Sijue go away.
Zhou Yuanru looked at Li Sijue's back and whispered, "Even if Mr. Li goes to say it, the Nanjing Military Department may not be able to listen. If he encounters a bandit on the river again, he will just draw the ground as a prison and just want to rely on the big river."
Lu Xiangsheng smiled and said, "That's not always the case. The Anqing garrison was both defending and fighting. It not only rescued Nanjing from thousands of miles away, but also chased the thieves to Chuzhou and forcibly crossed the Qingliu River to flank the right wing of the thieves. Unfortunately, it was a little lacking."
"The guard Pang is still waiting at the north end of the bridge to ask for an audience. Do you want to see him?"
"Let him come over." After saying that, he turned and entered the food shop.
Zhou Yuanru immediately went to Beitou, and not long afterward he brought a general over. He immediately knelt on the ground after entering.
"The little man Pang Yu, the garrison officer of Anqing, comes to see the Prime Minister."
"Pang Guard, please wake up."
When Pang Yu stood up, Lu Xiangsheng looked carefully. He was very young. He didn't look powerful, but rather handsome. He was not wearing a helmet, and the chain armor on his body had a few holes and some vague blood stains.
There was also a box in his hand.
"Yesterday, there was a fierce battle at Wuli Bridge. With the help of Pang Guards, we were able to defeat the bandits. I saw that your armor was damaged. Are you injured?"
Pang Yu heard Lu Xiangsheng's gentle tone, but he did not dare to lower his vigilance. Zhang Guowei often did the same, but he would dig a hole if he was not careful. These people are smart people when their senses reach this level. When talking to them, both
You need to show your ability without boasting.
"Some of them suffered minor injuries at Wuli Bridge, and some were injured at Zhulong Bridge last night. Most of the villains only found out after the war that after a simple bandage, they were no longer in the way, so they didn't dare to bother the adults. As long as the military orders come, the villains will
People can still fight and kill."
While Pang Yu was talking, he was also secretly looking at Lu Xiangsheng. The Prime Minister of the Five Provinces for Suppressing Bandits was not wearing a military uniform, and he was still clearly distinguishable from the soldiers around him. However, the stains and tears on his clothes had not been dealt with. It was obvious that
There was no record of the civil servants, and no other civil servants were seen in the room. Instead, there was a military attache standing by. I had a preliminary understanding of Lu Xiangsheng in my mind. This man was really leading troops to fight, and he was better than an administrative official like Zhang Guowei.
Be more practical.
Lu Xiangsheng didn't look calm after hearing this. Pang Shouwei deliberately said in his answer that he had arrived at Zhulong Bridge last night, which meant that his military exploits were true.
He changed the topic and said, "From Anqing to Chuzhou, the battalion marched by land and water. I heard that you killed hundreds of horse thieves at Puzikou, and then came to Chuzhou to participate in the war. Your garrison can be said to be elite, but did you train it yourself?
"
"Returning to your Majesty, the reason why the garrison camp has such a poor performance is due to the generous treatment of Zhang Duye and Shi Daotai. The salary and money in the camp are enough to use armor and weapons. Most of the soldiers are civilians who were displaced by the bandits last year. Everyone hates the thieves with gnashing of teeth.
, I am willing to sacrifice my life in the battle, and the general will only do trivial things such as training."
Lu Xiangsheng showed a hint of surprise. Anqing was also under his jurisdiction. He knew the importance of this place to Zhang Guowei, so he always thought that Zhang Guowei had mobilized elite soldiers from Jiangnan to form a garrison, so he was so capable. He didn't expect that he recruited them at the beginning of the year.
Each battalion recruits a lot of refugees, but not many are capable of fighting, which makes this young general even more unique.
"Also, I like some ingenious things, which are really effective when used in battle. This time, my lord defeated thieves in Chuzhou and saved tens of millions of people in the south. I dare to give them to you, hoping that they can help you to destroy them."
The bandits will succeed soon." Pang Yu said and handed the box to Zhou Yuanru.
Lu Xiangsheng took a copper pipe out of curiosity and pulled out three sections under Pang Yu's guidance. After giving it a try, he slowly stood up and walked to the window, looking around with a telescope.
He stared for a long time with no intention of returning. Pang Yu didn't expect that Lu Xiangsheng was interested in this telescope, so he had to wait where he was.
Finally, Lu Xiangsheng put down his telescope and came back to speak to Pang Yu in a gentler tone.
"It is indeed an ingenious thing, and it is indeed a useful thing." Lu Xiangsheng looked through it in his hand, and there were four words "Decisive Victory over Thousand Miles" on the copper pipe. Thinking about it, Pang Yu was quite flattering.
But this telescope was actually used by Pang Yu himself at the time. These four words were used to brag. When he set off from Anqing, he did not expect to meet Lu Xiangsheng. Now that the main battle has been fought, he gave it to Lu Xiangsheng as a favor.
.
Lu Xiangsheng put away the telescope by Zhou Yuanru, then turned to Pang Yu and said, "There may be weapons in Pang's garrison that are different from those of other camps."
"There are only two bronze cannons. They were originally transported by ship. However, this transportation was very inconvenient and they were damaged at Wuli Bridge. The rest are similar to government-made weapons."
Lu Xiangsheng nodded, "Looking at the military books of the past dynasties, they all talk about the importance of weapons and equipment, but today's military talkers often talk about terrain management, or recommend evil weapons, but they don't know that victory still has to be achieved with swords and guns.
Seeing that you choose these two weapons, you are a person who knows the choice. The Anqing thoroughfare is guarded by Pang Shou, which shows that Mr. Zhang has a good understanding of people. In the future, Pang Shou will be of great use in the plan to defeat the thieves."
Pang Yu quickly humbled himself. He didn't know the choice. In fact, Bo Yu also had various weapons. Pang Yu knew the development trend at least. The ones he would use in the future would definitely be practical. Those that were not used on a large scale must have their own applications.
Or production defects, eliminating the need for trial and error.
"I will try my best to defend Anqing. However, the garrison camp and the water camp currently have a total of 1,500 troops. Anqing is surrounded by battlefields on three sides. Since the beginning of the year, we have been struggling to deal with the bandits. It feels quite stretched."
When Lu Xiangsheng heard Pang Yu's request, he did not respond directly. Pang Yu also liked his privilege of directly reporting to the emperor, which would increase the emperor's weight and gain benefits in terms of troop quotas and pay. All the military leaders also had this idea.
As the premier of the five provinces, Lu Xiangsheng does not think this is a request. It is his own responsibility to know and employ people. Putting the troops in the right places and in the hands of the right people. If Anqing can be as stable as Mount Tai, it will be beneficial to his overall plan to destroy the bandits.
It's very beneficial.
After waiting for a moment, Lu Xiangsheng looked at Pang Yu with a smile and said, "After the Chuzhou war, all the fleeing bandit battalions were horse soldiers. Most of Pang's garrison camps were infantry. It was useless to pursue them. They came thousands of miles away to fight continuously. Pang
The garrison headquarters will stay in Chuzhou and work with Lei Guerrie to deal with the fleeing refugees."
There was no teacup on the table, but Pang Yu knew he was seeing off a guest, so he immediately bowed respectfully and exited the restaurant, followed by Zhou Yuanru.
Lu Xiangsheng went to open the box by himself, took the telescope in his hand and played with it carefully. When Zhou Yuanru came back, he was slightly stunned. He had never seen Lu Xiangsheng care so much about the utensils.
At this time, the soldiers inside reported that the meal had been prepared, and his subordinates served the meal, including two meat dishes and two bowls of hot rice. Lu Xiangsheng motioned to Zhou Yuanru to sit down together, they were all in the army. Zhou Yuanru was not too polite and wolfed it down immediately.
Yesterday, they were blocked by thousands of infantry, escaped by bandits and horse soldiers, gathered their troops at night to deal with the prisoners, and set off in pursuit at dawn before making food. They were indeed very hungry.
Lu Xiangsheng picked up the bowl and ate while thinking about something. His position faced the gate, opposite the corpses of the bandits were piled, and the soldiers of the Supervisory Biao Battalion sat on the corpses to eat.
After Zhou Yuanru had eaten for a while, Lu Xiangsheng turned to look at Zhou Yuanru and said softly, "This is the battlefield about the dispute between Zu Keyong and Pang Yu. Who do you think is telling the truth?"
Zhou Yuanru quickly swallowed the food in his mouth, lowered his head for a while and then said, "There are many corpses here but little blood stains. There are no corpses of officers and soldiers. It can be seen that there was no fierce battle. My subordinates have previously interrogated several injured thieves here before and after dark last night.
Suddenly there were officers and soldiers chasing after them, causing the thieves crossing the bridge to panic. Pang Guards just said that they arrived at Zhulong Bridge in the evening, which is generally consistent with this. Zu Keyong had not yet entered Guanshan at that time. I am afraid what Pang Guards said was true. Zu Ke
Yong saw Pang, the garrison officer, was young and wanted to take away his military exploits."
"Then what do you think should be done?"
"Promote the ancestors and suppress the Pang."
Lu Xiangsheng nodded slightly, without saying anything more, and put another mouthful of rice into his mouth.
Seeing this, Zhou Yuanru put down his bowl and said in a low voice, "There is no need to talk about the horses. Since Li Chongzhen's troops entered southern Zhili, no less than two hundred horses have died of illness and exhaustion on the way. If we don't increase the shortage, his troops may not be able to fight.
Dayong. Lord Xiang Zi took office and relied on the cavalry of Liao Town in all battles. This was also the case in the Chuzhou battle. Zu Kuan is still the deputy commander-in-chief plus the rank of general, waiting for military merit to be promoted to commander-in-chief, while Zu Keyong is waiting to be promoted to general.
, Li Chongzhen also has his subordinates waiting for promotion, and if the merits of Zhulong Bridge are shared with them, the Liao army will be more useful to the adults, and there is hope for exterminating the bandits."
Lu Xiangsheng slowly put down his job, picked up the telescope, and did not comment on Zhou Yuanru's words.
Zhou Yuanru looked at the telescope and whispered, "Pang Shoubei from Anqing said that they arrived at Zhulong Bridge with Liao Zhen, so that he could be promoted with some decapitation skills. Besides, he still has five years left.
Li Qiao’s military exploits are not lacking in his.”
Lu Xiangsheng looked at Zhou Yuanru, and suddenly shook his head with a smile, "Give all the military merits of Zhulong Bridge to Zu Kuan and the others. All the horses and mules of Zhulong Bridge are collected by Liao Town. After you finish eating, go and send an order to Pang Guards, ordering his troops to return immediately."
Chuzhou.”
Zhou Yuanru understood what Lu Xiangsheng meant, and all his military achievements, horses and mules, were returned to Liao Town, and he transferred Pang Yu back to Chuzhou to prevent the two armies from mixing together and causing another dispute. However, this did not treat the garrison lightly.
He hesitated and asked, "But Pang Shoubei worked hard but had no military exploits at all. I'm afraid he has to file a complaint with Zhang Guowei. Half a year after the Liao army entered the pass, there were already many reports from various places accusing them of poisoning the place. After all, Zhang Guowei
It’s Senior Member Donglin…”
Lu Xiangsheng put down his telescope and shook his head, "You just said that the suppression of thieves depends on Liao Town, and Zu Kuan probably thinks so too. If someone impeaches them, they can be better used by me and be more conducive to the overall situation of suppressing thieves."