Chapter 933 Jia Heng: It must be the slave chief who personally leads the troops, and the Eight Banners come out
Taiyuan Prefecture
All the military and political dignitaries looked at the Beijing camp cavalry with strict orders and strict military appearance, and all of them felt a sense of awe in their hearts.
Xie Zaiyi was greeted by all the generals and led the 5,000 vanguard cavalry to Taiyuan City in a mighty manner, heading towards the city along the stone-paved streets.
The entire city of Dayuanfu is not only built with high trenches and deep trenches, but the urn city and city walls inside are also very complex. There are French cannons set up on the arrow stacks of the parapet wall, and the black muzzles are quite intimidating.
There were soldiers holding flags all around, their armors were bright, and they were holding Yanling knives tightly. They looked a bit energetic.
Wang Chengyin looked away from the majestic cavalry, asked Xie Zaiyi, who had a solemn look on his face, and asked with a smile: "I wonder where the general is?"
Jia Heng used the first-class Yongning Marquis to bear the seal of the general who conquered the captives, and controlled the armies in Shanxi and Hebei. He could kill them first and then report them, which can be said to make Wang Chengyin extremely fearful.
Xie Zaiyi said: "It's right behind. The general sent his junior general to lead the troops first. Commander Wang will gather the soldiers later and choose a cavalry to go with the army."
When Wang Chengyin heard this, his expression changed slightly and he said: "The army still has the important task of guarding Taiyuan. If we deploy soldiers like this, the Taiyuan military town will inevitably be empty."
The Beijing camp army almost brought a lot of elites this time, so how could they still use the soldiers and horses from Taiyuan Town?
Xie Zaiyi said in a low voice: "Deploy some troops and horses, and join forces to attack. This is the general's order. The country raises troops for a thousand days and deploys troops for a while. Commander Wang, now is the time to deploy troops."
Wang Chengyin's face looked a little ugly, but he could only bite the bullet and looked at the deputy commander Shang Zhonggang on the side and said: "General Shang, go and select the roster."
Shang Zhonggang accepted it with his hand, and then went to the government office nearby to prepare troops and horses.
At this time, Governor Gu Binghe glanced at Wang Chengyin, put down the tea cup in his hand, and said: "General Xie, I have just discussed the supply of military rations with Mr. Luo. In terms of military rations, the general does not need to worry."
This Futai was a standard civil servant. He was in his early fifties and had a shrewd smile in his small eyes.
Xie Zaiyi did not dare to neglect and said: "The vassal treasury has prepared provisions for January in advance, and the imperial household department will send important personnel to raise military provisions."
For this war, the Ministry of Revenue prepared two things: part of the military rations were transferred, and part of them was prepared to buy grains. However, the price of rice shops in Jin Province had already increased in response to the announcement of the military expedition to the north.
But because it was not sure how the imperial court transferred grain, the increase was not that exaggerated.
After Xie Zaiyi left, Governor Gu Binghe and Chief Envoy Luo Jingwen also went to raise grain and fodder, leaving only Wang Chengyin and Xiang Bin.
Wang Chengyin said: "Xiang Dushuai, this man named Xie wants to select elite cavalry to assist in military affairs. What should we do?"
Xiang Bin pondered and said: "Master Wang has a cavalry force of six thousand men. One is equivalent to ten elites. They can be drawn out and sent to Datong for his dispatch."
Previously, Wang Shuirong from Beijing went to Taiyuan to inspect the troops. Wang Chengyin used this to play a trick on Dong Zhuo's Xiliang cavalry to hide the truth from the enemy.
Wang Chengyin said: "The Jurchens are not easy to deal with. Taiyuan only has this little family. If the trouble is gone, I am the foundation of my life. How can you and I sit firmly in this land of Jinzhong?"
It's not that Wang Chengyin wants to support his troops and respect himself, but he must have an elite army in hand to show off his appearance, and the court must be wary of reducing power.
Xiang Bin shook his head, his face showed solemnity, and said: "This is not easy to handle. Now the Beijing army has entered the city. Lord Cai Wang has also seen it. The army is majestic and can be a powerful force. The general who conquered the captives heard that
It’s not easy to get along with either.”
Wang Chengyin's face was as gloomy as ice and he said: "Shuai Xiang, once the court knew about it, Marquis Yongning killed countless generals when he was reorganizing the capital camp."
It can be said that Jia Heng, a Marquis of Wu, had a path to success that was also studied by Wang Chengyin, and he organized the army with an iron fist in the capital camp.
Xiang Binnong frowned and said: "What General Wang said makes no sense. The last general is working in the capital, and the soldiers he ordered can't reach the guard posts. I don't know what General Wang is worried about."
"Last time King Beijing came to inspect the troops, Xiang Dushuai..." Wang Chengyin asked.
Xiang Bin's face darkened, he interrupted Wang Chengyin and said: "General Wang."
"Now you and I are grasshoppers tied on a rope." Wang Chengyin smiled, looked at Xiang Bin, and whispered.
Just seeing Xie Zaiyi's 5,000 cavalry troops, Wang Chengyin had an unpleasant feeling in his heart. There were still 5,000 to 60,000 soldiers behind them. Once the Marquis of Yongning came and proposed to inspect the troops and horses of Taiyuan Army Town, he discovered that the soldiers
The forehead is uneven, taking the opportunity to have an attack?
In fact, the political sense of these generals who guard one side is indeed extraordinary. They have already begun to be vigilant when they see trouble.
Xiang Bin stared at Wang Chengyin with an unkind look and said, "Commander Wang must be in a state of panic. This time the Beijing camp is moving troops north to intervene in the Mongolian war. This is not to reorganize border affairs."
"We have to be careful. This Marquis of Yongning is here today, but he has killed many of his colleagues." Wang Chengyin said with sadness.
He has no good method now. This special girl named Jia came with an army of 60,000.
And just when Jia Heng led his troops to Taiyuan Military Town.
On the other side, Jia Heng also gradually approached Taiyuan Military Town. A map hung on the wooden board depicting the border defense situation between Mongolia, Jurchens and Han Dynasties.
In addition to Chen Xiao, there are also Song Yuan, Fan Yi, Pang Shili, Qi Jianhui, Xie Jing and other generals from the Beijing camp.
Jia Fang stood outside the military tent, guarding the surroundings. Not far away stood a handsome flag officer, Liu Xianglian.
Jia Heng said: "Once our army reaches Datong, the Jurchens will definitely take action to contain our army from heading north. Ping'an Prefecture is the flank of Datong and is also under the Jurchen offensive."
"Commander Jie, can Peiping send a team of elite cavalry out of the fortress to contain the Jurchens?" At this time, General Xie Jing said.
Jia Heng said: "Beiping has no way to go out, and the Jurchens must have soldiers and horses to guard against it. Among the troops in Peiping, there is not enough combat power to go out to deal with the Jurchen elites, unless the Beijing camp divides its troops, but the Beijing camp cannot divide its troops at the moment."
Today's strategy is to defend in the east and attack in the west, that is, on the battlefields on the eastern front, such as Beiping and Xuanfu (Zhangjiakou), as long as the Jurchen invaders can be resisted, it will be a great achievement.
Datong and Shuozhou in the west are the focus of defense.
Because once Datong or Taiyuan were lost, the shock to the imperial court would be greater.
This is a political account.
In other words, no matter how fierce the war is in Beiping, as long as Beiping does not fall and no matter how fierce the war is in the land of Yan and Zhao, the civil and military officials in the imperial court will not feel that the sky is falling and the earth is falling.
But Datong and Ping'an Prefecture cannot do this. They are the horns of each other. Once they are lost, Taiyuan will be threatened, and the door to the northwest will be completely opened by the Jurchens.
Shenjing will be shaken, and there will be calls to move the capital.
Chang'an's first line of defense is Datong and Ping'an Prefecture (Shuozhou). In the past, it was precisely because of the Chahar Mongolian Pingfan that it was not attacked.
This is also the reason for the previous aid to Chahar Mongolia, because after the Jurchens annexed Mongolia, Datong and Ping'an Prefecture would never be able to survive.
The second line of defense is Yulin and Taiyuan.
"Now the 60,000-strong army will rest in Taiyuan and mobilize the elite from Taiyuan." Jia Heng said in a deep voice.
His plan was to change the situation. He would first leave Wang Chengyin's elite men with him and rush to Datong, and then leave a group of people to wait for the infantry from the Beijing camp, and start to organize border affairs and investigate Shanxi merchants.
The whole thing was a grand gesture, not to mention a mutiny.
Mutiny means that he took a few people to Taiyuan Prefecture and persecuted them too much. But now that he has the elite of the Beijing camp, where can he mutiny?
All the generals responded and said yes.
After giving instructions on the order of advance, Jia Heng looked at Pang Shili aside and said, "General Pang, early tomorrow morning, you will lead five thousand cavalry troops to take a shortcut to Datong to meet the army."
Pang Shili said: "Yes, Jieshuai."
After Pang Shili left, Chen Xiao looked at the young man and said softly: "You are preparing Datong from being invaded."
"Some people in Datong will also inquire about the movements in Taiyuan. If you are detained in Taiyuan for too long, Datong will be aware of it. Datong will also have troops to respond, and the Jurchens may also take action." Jia Heng
road.
Chen Xiao said: "I don't know any news over there in the grassland."
Jia Heng said: "Let's be ready first. Yesterday I asked Jinyi Mansion Feige to pass a message. If Ezhe is willing, he can lead the troops to the Datong front."
Chen Xiao said: "Those Hongyi cannons want to be effective on the grassland, but I'm afraid they won't work. The main thing is to defend the city."
Jia Heng nodded and said: "The transportation of Hongyi artillery is inconvenient and needs to be arranged as soon as possible. However, the fusiliers and musketry team formed can attack the enemy mobilely and will be of great use at critical times."
Although the nearly a hundred flintlock rifles originally obtained from Hao Jing were not many, they were still able to form a battalion of troops when combined with other highly stable fire muskets.
"Is there any news about the Jurchen's troop deployment this time?" Chen Xiao asked.
"We don't know yet. We'll have to wait for the information from the other side of the grassland." Jia Heng shook his head, his eyes serious, and said, "I guess the whole country must be outnumbered. This is the Jurchen's battle to rejuvenate the country, and the slave chief must personally lead it."
When the soldiers and the Eight Banners are out, I don’t know whether the slave chief is in the west or the east."
So this time he brought out 90% of the cavalry troops in the Beijing camp, plus 60,000 infantry, just to deal with this matter.
Chen Xiao's beautiful face showed a look of thoughtfulness, and he whispered: "If we send out troops at the same time..."
"Yes, I am worried now that the Jurchens will annex Mongolia and invade the Han territory and send out troops at the same time. Once they see our army dispatched, they will strike first to contain our Han Dynasty. At that time, it will depend on whether the Xuanfu can stop it." Jia Heng
Suddenly he said.
"Beiping?" Chen Xiao looked at the map not far away and whispered.
Jia Heng nodded and looked in the direction of Xuan Mansion.
…
…
In Taiyuan Prefecture, twilight falls, and the night fills the entire sky. A bright blue moon casts its cool moonlight, shining on the land of Sanjin. It seems as if there is a layer of white covering the city and the rows of eaves and eaves.
Frost.
The house was brightly lit, and the sound of silk and bamboo orchestral music sounded from the attic of the back house.
The head of the Kang family, Kang Yisheng, was sitting on an imperial chair, dozing off slightly, listening to an opera being performed on a stage not far away.
The song "Wu Song Fights Tiger" was sung. The martial artist was wearing short-sleeved clothes and holding a whistle stick in his hand. He was talking and reciting, and several gongs sounded from time to time around him.
Kang Yisheng's concubine, on the other hand, was holding grapes in her hands, looking at them and discussing them secretly.
Kang Yisheng was about fifty years old, with gray hair and rosy cheeks. He closed his eyes slightly at this moment. The concubine Pingniang beside him, who had a better appearance and was only sixteen years old, handed the peeled grapes to Kang Yisheng's mouth.
"Master." At this time, the housekeeper hurriedly approached and whispered a few words in Kang Yisheng's ear.
Kang Yisheng opened his eyes, and a ray of light seemed to shoot out from the sunken eye sockets, and said, "Go and have a look."
Not far away, the second young master of the Kang family, Kang Zexing, who was listening to the opera, put down the wine cup in his hand and said, "Dad."
"Xing'er went to greet his father." Kang Yisheng waved his hand, and the opera suddenly stopped.
One of the eight major Shanxi merchant families is the Kang family in Linfen, Pingyang Prefecture. This family is the richest man in central Shanxi. They run countless rice shops. They can be said to be extremely wealthy. Compared with other families who only have millions in assets, the Kang family has tens of millions in assets.
Since the founding of the Han Dynasty, they have been mainly engaged in traditional businesses such as selling salt and rice grains. When they were smuggled to the Jurchens, their wealth accumulated rapidly.
There were thousands of warehouses, and rice and grain shops were spread all over the Three Jin Dynasties.
The head of the Kang family, Kang Yisheng, and his second son Kang Zexing now live separately in Taiyuan Prefecture.
Because Taiyuan Prefecture is the provincial capital, the information is better.
In the hall——
Chief envoy Luo Jingwen and Taiyuan magistrate Jiang Yan were sitting on chairs, not touching the fine West Lake Longjing on the table next to them, their expressions indifferent.
"What kind of wind blew these two adults here?" At this moment, the head of the Kang family, Kang Yisheng, came in from the inner hall with a smile on his face and said: "Some people are not welcome from a distance, and some are not welcome from afar."
As he said that, he came closer and bowed.
"The two adults are here late at night, what are your orders?" Kang Yisheng said.
Chief Envoy Luo Jingwen and Taiyuan Magistrate Jiang Yan looked at each other, smiled, and said first: "Mr. Kang, I and Mr. Jiang have nothing to do without going to the Three Treasures Hall."
Kang Yisheng smiled and waited for his words.
As a subordinate, Jiang Yan took the initiative to take over the conversation and said with a smile: "This is not the imperial court sending a large army to Datong to fight with the Jurchens. Now they need to raise military rations. A minister from the Ministry of Revenue is on the way and should arrive in the next two days.
Taiyuan.”
In fact, Lin Ruhai set off two days earlier than Jia Heng, but because he was riding a carriage and taking a different route, he did not catch up.
At this moment, the vanguard of the Beijing army arrived in Taiyuan first, and Lin Ruhai had just entered Taiyuan Mansion.
Previously, he did not go directly to Taiyuan Prefecture, but went to nearby Pingyang Prefecture to find out what the prefect of Pingyang Prefecture planned to do about purchasing grain and recruiting civilians.
During the war, it is easy to raise food and grass on the spot, unless there is really no other way to go deep into the Western Regions and deserts for transshipment. Jin Province is originally a major food-producing province. With this condition, most of the military food must be supplemented.
Kang Yisheng smiled and said: "Two gentlemen, the country has mobilized troops. I, a citizen of Shengdou, have also heard about it. It's a good thing. It's just that Kang has no talent. He can barely do a little business at Hukou. The army needs it."
The amount of grain and fodder is huge, but I am afraid that it will be insufficient and the military situation will be delayed."
If you are here to ask for alms, then don't ask for help. His rice and grain shops are not enough to support the war effort.
"The Ministry of Household Affairs is willing to provide money to buy rice grains." Jiang Yan asked.
When Kang Yisheng heard this, he put down the tea cup in his hand, looked more serious, and said, "I don't know how big a gap the imperial court needs."
It was obvious that Jiang Yan was very familiar with the head of the Kang family.
Luo Jingwen frowned secretly and cursed the profiteer in his heart.
"Nowadays, one month's cavalry troops are provided by the imperial court, but then the infantry will go to Taiyuan, and with the war, the consumption of rice grains is huge. Mr. Kang needs to raise more, the more the better." Jiang Yan said with a smile on his face.
Smiling, he explained.
It is worth mentioning that military supplies during wartime marches are different from normal conditions, and the consumption is often more.
Because the generals fought hard and marched, their physical strength was greatly consumed. People chewed and fed horses, which consumed a lot. Just like people who have done farm work, their appetite will definitely increase.
At this time, Luo Jingwen twirled his beard under his chin with his hand, and said with a dull look on his chubby face: "If we consider it as affluent, the three-month military ration reserve is estimated to cost three million dan."
Generally speaking, a country's military deployment usually takes three months as a regular cycle. However, Jia Heng's 60,000 cavalry army collected 400,000 shi of food a month, plus the following 60,000 infantry, which also required 400,000 shi, that is, 2.4 million shi.
This does not include the usual consumption of fish, fruits, vegetables and other non-staple foods, as well as the consumption of salt. This is why the war is very expensive.
"Two adults, three million stones is not a small amount. I need to coordinate with several friends to raise it. I just wonder at what price the court is willing to buy rice grains?" Kang Yisheng's eyes flashed and he asked again.
Three million shi of grain is a big deal. If converted into grain, it would be three million taels. If the price of rice doubled, it would be six million taels.
At this time, the price of rice, due to the continuous disasters, was still around one stone of rice and one tael of silver. Compared with Taizong, it was naturally far lower than during the Longzhi period.
Jiang Yan smiled and said nonchalantly: "I can't guarantee this, I just think it was purchased at the market price. Mr. Kang is so supportive of military affairs, how can the imperial court treat Mr. Kang badly?"
Kang Yisheng pondered for a moment and said, "Now that the price of food in Taiyuan City has nearly doubled, is the imperial court willing to purchase food at this price?"
"Mr. Kang, the prices of rice and grain in the city are mostly rising nowadays, so naturally the imperial court cannot use this as a basis for purchasing grain." Luo Jingwen frowned and reminded.
Kang Yisheng smiled and said: "What Mr. Luo said is that there is not so much rice now, and it has to be purchased from other provinces, which is a waste of manpower and material resources. Kang has nothing to say here.
, it’s a matter of national importance, but all the guys under me have to eat.”
They cannot be allowed to save their families and the country.
Luo Jingwen laughed and said, "Mr. Kang just prepares the food and fodder. After Lin Butang comes, we can slowly discuss the purchase price. We can't let the Yi merchants suffer."
Kang Yisheng cupped his hands and said, "The common people will send people to buy grain and rice to prepare for military needs."
Luo Jingwen and Jiang Yan nodded and left Kang Mansion, preparing to raise other beans, grass bundles, and non-staple food.
After the two of them left, Kang Zexing, the second young master of the Kang family, said in a low voice: "Father, business in the imperial court is not easy to do, and you will often make IOUs."
"The imperial court has expanded its financial resources over the years and has a lot of money on hand. It is not as embarrassed as before. But where does Lin Butang come from?" Kang Yisheng looked at the moonlit Yimen outside, frowned and whispered.
With that said, he walked towards the back house.
Kang Zexing followed, a young man in his late thirties with a calm face, and said: "I heard that he was transferred from Jiangnan. His surname is Lin. He was originally a salt inspector in Yangzhou."
Kang Yisheng pondered for a moment and said: "Yan Xunxun, those eight families in Yangzhou were skinned last year, and this Yongning Marquis is a money-hungry man."
Merchants were well-informed, not to mention Shanxi merchants who had always regarded Huizhou merchants as their formidable enemies, so they naturally paid attention to what was happening in Jiangnan.
"Father, the eight salt merchants in Yangzhou embezzled the money from the Salt Institute, except for the four smuggling merchants..." Kang Zexing said, his brows furrowed and his heart trembled.
Kang Yisheng sighed and said, "Understood? I'm afraid the person who came this time is not good."
He colluded with Donglu, and then had four families expropriated, leaving no property at all. Wouldn't he know this?
Also, Lin Butang was the in-law of Jia Heng, Marquis of Yongning. The two of them implemented the new salt method in Southern Province and almost cut off the roots of the Yangzhou group.
Fortunately, we still follow the rules and only seek wealth, not life.
But the Kang family is also engaged in the business of smuggling to the grassland. This matter is big or small. Who knows what the man named Jia thinks?
Kang Zexing looked solemn and said in a low voice: "Nothing happened to the Wang family, Jiang family, and Xiao family. Father must be worrying too much. When the ban was lifted, it was not our family that was doing it to transport grain and rice to the grasslands of Mongolia. Mr. Jiang just now
Doesn’t the family also have a business?”
"Be careful when sailing for thousands of years." Kang Yisheng whispered, his eyes flashing coldly, and said: "These people in the public sect, if something happens to them, they will sell them to us faster than anything else."
"Master Gu..." Kang Zexing's voice became a little lower.
Kang Yisheng said coldly: "It's still unreliable."
So in order not to become a fat pig waiting to be slaughtered in these years, in addition to wooing Wang Chengyin and his subordinates, he also raised hundreds of people under his command, just to be able to fight in emergencies.
…
…
On the grassland, flames were billowing, gunpowder smoke filled the air, and there were bursts of killing sounds and cries.
Accompanied by the Han generals Shi Tingzhu, Ma Guangyuan, Wang Shiyuan and Bayan, Dorgon rode on a horse and looked at the flames of war burning in tents in the distance. His horse's hoofs trampled over the crying old Mongolian woman and young son, his face expressionless.
Shi Tingzhu cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, it's almost done."
Dorgon nodded and told a bannerman: "Go and send someone to inform Samushha and Ye Chen."
The two of them were the commander and deputy commander under Azig.
"Yes, Your Majesty." The elite flagman rode a fast horse to inform the two of them.
Dorgon's eyes were dark and he sneered: "The Sunit tribe was defeated, the soldiers and horses were scattered, and most of them were damaged. Later, we will go to the big tent to discuss matters and lead the troops to force the Keshiketeng tribe to surrender."
"Yes." All the generals said yes, and Wei Guang, the gourd monk with a black mole on his face among the crowd, also agreed, but there was a hint of worry in his eyes.
He's been lurking here for the past few days, and he's been on tenterhooks, and the south still wants him to send information.
