Yonghe, in the old days, was called Guihua. According to rumors, it was named because of the constant fighting with neighboring counties during the Northern Zhou Dynasty. The governor of Pingyang at that time changed the name in order to mediate the conflicts between the two parties. For a long time, this poor land was not taken seriously, but it has been from more than ten years ago.
Everything changed after the arrival of the strange imperial army the day before. First, the ferry, which had been abandoned for many years, was surrounded by the army and became some kind of military restricted area. Then, the county government office, which had been abandoned for many years, was also renovated, and the imperial court also
A young county magistrate was sent with a group of men. I heard that there were brothers of the current emperor in the army.
But all this has nothing to do with the common people. Isn’t it just the new parent officials? There is nothing else in this shabby place like ours, but there are so many county magistrates coming and going. In the past three years, there have been more than a dozen changes.
!Why? It’s not because our place is poor! If you can’t get any benefits from being an official, why are you still here? Even though the new county magistrate brought so many people, the battle was quite big, but there was no other way
He will definitely have to leave in a few months! As for that weird-looking army in black, it didn’t even bring a trace of worry to the people of Yonghe. Anyway, we people have nothing but poverty. There is not even a single person with enough food and clothing within a hundred miles.
You can't even find a house, and even rats can't steal food. Why are you afraid of them snatching it?
However, what surprised the people was that the new county magistrate actually borrowed food and grass from the army to open a recruitment point in the city, and issued a notice saying that from now on, as long as the people are willing to help the government put down the rebellion, they can
I received a reward of two liters of rice per day. After two days of hesitation, when I saw that those brave and hungry fellow villagers actually received the white rice, the whole Yonghe was excited. Those who had a little strength ran to the ferry.
They helped repair the docks and carry military supplies; while the women and children went to bake pancakes to make military rations for the army. They didn't even ask for any reward at first, as long as they could be rewarded with a bowl of porridge with a few grains of rice still visible, and they would throw away the food they accidentally spilled.
Just let them take the rice and noodles on the ground home.
The result made the people of Yonghe extremely happy. Those officials seemed to have food falling from the sky in vain. Not only did they not deduct their remuneration, but they also paid a lot of money. Women and children received the same remuneration as men.
Those who had old and weak people at home could even get an extra big meat pie. Now people from all over the country rushed over as soon as they got the news. The rammed earth wharf, which was originally planned to be built in seven days, was forced to carry a large piece of meat pie.
The stone was built within four days, except that the flowers had not yet been carved on the stone.
"Master Wu Sheng, is this the right time to cross the river?" Although he had been to the shore many times, Zhu Youcong still did not dare to take it lightly when looking at the water of the Yellow River. You must know that the original navy of the imperial court had already been replaced by civil servants.
It was so frustrating, and he didn't have a navy under his own command. The only thing that could be used to cross the river now was the legendary sheepskin raft, and those broken fishing boats had become treasures and had to be kept for building pontoons.
"General, don't worry, the people recruited to assist the army this time are all fishermen who have made a living in this river for generations. The poor monk guarantees that there will be no problem!" No one knows how the White Lotus Virgin is talking with the emperor and the others now, but
The old liars who followed Zhu Youcong were really cooperative. They not only used the intelligence network established earlier to find out the enemy's situation for Zhu Youcong, but also arranged their subordinates along the way to appease the people for the newly appointed officials. When they arrived in Yonghe, they recruited people through various connections.
Even the old monk who had been planting peonies in Chaoyang Temple for a long time was dug out and used as a guide.
"What about the terrain on the other side?" Zhu Youcong didn't know where the Yellow River Flood Area in the Ming Dynasty referred to, but he was really afraid that his army would get stuck in the mud after crossing the river.
"General, there is no need to worry about this. The terrain on the other side is not only gentle but also very solid..." Monk Wu Sheng not only stayed in the temple to chant sutras and plant flowers, he also knew the terrain of this area very well...
"That's good, that's good!" Zhu Youcong put aside his worries and said to the commander of the Third Division beside him: "Xiao Liuzi, are you all ready?
This young officer, who was called Xiaoliuzi by Zhu Youcong because he was the sixth eldest in the family, had his own name - Xiong Zhaojue. His father was the Liaodong manager Xiong Tingbi who had brilliant military exploits but was framed and did not die well.
After rumors spread that his father had become a victim of party strife, and his eldest brother Xiong Zhaogui committed suicide to show his loyalty, he did not join the Tatars in order to avenge his father, but instead of joining the Tatars to avenge his father, he sneaked into the army and became a pawn. He
Facts must be used to prove that no one in the Xiong family is a loser, and they are all true heroes serving the country and the people.
"Reporting to the general, the last general has sent a reconnaissance battalion to sneak into the other side. According to the information they reported, those facing us are under the command of Zhang Xianzhong, the most elite of the rebels, with a total of 30,000 rebels..." Xiong Zhaojuan can be the third
The division commander did not rely on his father's influence. Even before Lu Xiangsheng selected officers, even Sun Chengzong did not know his family background.
"Have the preparations for crossing the river been completed?" Zhu Youcong didn't think he was smarter than his officers. He was good at being lazy and always made strategic arrangements. As for how to achieve the goal, he left it to others.
Headache.
"Everything has been arranged. In order to prevent the thieves from launching a sneak attack while our army is crossing the river, the general has ordered the third and fourth battalions to be stationed ten miles upstream and downstream of us, and has distributed 40% of the artillery shells to the general.
They..." Despite his young age, Xiong Zhaojue already has the demeanor of a general. Although in his eyes the rebels on the other side are vulnerable, he has taken all precautions.
"Very good, you look a bit like your father! Work hard and make your father and brother in heaven proud of you!" Zhu Youcong also sincerely liked this young general who was several years older than him. He had never thought about a man with a heavy responsibility.
People with deep blood feuds can hide their names, all they want is to guard the country's borders and defend against enemies, in the name of family loyalty.
It was the sixth day of April in the second year of Chongzhen. After waiting for Wang Zhizhen and nearly a hundred students from Luoyang, General Zhenguo, who had been struggling for many days, finally decided to officially enter Shaanxi to suppress bandits. Unlike the last time when troops were rushed from Luoyang to rescue the capital,
This time Zhu Youcong gathered the entire army early in the morning, not even leaving behind more than a thousand White Lotus followers borrowed by Zen Master Kuhui from Shanxi and other places.
"Soldiers!" Standing on the beach of the Yellow River, looking at the army under his command, Zhu Youcong felt a little worried. After returning from Liaodong, this army had more murderous intent washed away by the flames of war. Standing in front of them, even this gentle
The spring sunshine seemed cold and biting. "Do you know what we are going to do?"
"Eliminate the violence, calm the people, and eliminate the rebels!" The First Division of the First Army has already started a self-guided kidnapping tour with Lu Xiangsheng in Laishen; most of the Second Division has been assigned to Gao Doushu and others to take them to various places to train hundreds of officials.
, the remaining battalions have followed Lu Shanji southward to Yumendu and Hancheng to intercept the rebels who may have fled. The more than 10,000 officers and soldiers of the Third Division who were still with Zhu Youcong had already been holding back their energy and prepared to attack.
After cleaning up the rebels, they rushed back to Liaodong.
He is in good spirits, and his shouts are full of fighting spirit, but this is what Zhu Youcong is most afraid of. "To be honest, I, the general, are not as interested in this kind of internecine civil war as you are; if it is not an emergency, I will
I will never bring you to participate in this war! Because what we are facing is no longer a cruel alien race, but our brothers and sisters on the other side! No matter what the outcome, the blood that will be shed is the blood of my Ming Dynasty, who will fall.
We are all the people of our Ming Dynasty, so I ask you to reduce the number of killings as much as possible! If you win this battle, you have nothing to be proud of; if you lose, not only will you lose face, but your Ming Dynasty will also be plunged into a dangerous situation that will never be recovered..."
"Respect the general's order!" Yes, the rebels are all compatriots of our Ming Dynasty! Once upon a time, we lived in the same miserable life as them. If we had not been lucky enough to escape to Luoyang, the paradise on earth, I am afraid that we would have joined the rebellion now.
In the ranks! We are not going to kill people this time, but to rescue those brothers and sisters who are suffering! Unknowingly, the murderous intent in the sky seems to have subsided, but the morale is even higher...
Seeing that all the officers and men had realized something, Zhu Youcong continued: "Now, I would like to repeat the military order when I returned to the army. You must not deal with those who wish to surrender at will. They must leave it to Mr. Wang and others to arrange it! Of course, for those who are stubborn,
There is no need for you to tolerate those who have transformed, our Ming Dynasty does not need these guys who have never forgotten their ancestors and surrendered to the enemy and betrayed their country!"
"No!" This time, not only Zhu Youcong's officers and soldiers, but also the boatmen and Yonghe people in the distance who were sent by Gao Doushu to help the army cross the river responded loudly.
"Get aboard!" Following the order, more than a thousand soldiers with the division's reconnaissance battalion as the backbone began to board the sheepskin rafts one after another. They will be responsible for establishing a beachhead on the other side to cover the subsequent fishing boats and build a pontoon across the river.
"Prepare artillery fire! When our army reaches the river, start shooting at the other side!" Xiong Zhaojuan has taken his family's admonitions to heart since the day he joined the Guan Ning Army. Whether he was a leading soldier before or a general leading the new army now,
He has always been cautious in doing things, and will never give the enemy an opportunity to take advantage of him within the scope of consideration.
"General...General..." Just when Zhu Youcong was about to announce his departure, the new Yonghe County Magistrate Qi Wenkang came over with a group of old men escorted by military police.
"What's the matter with you?" Zhu Youcong frowned. Could it be that something major happened that affected crossing the river?
"General, the people of Yonghe learned that the army was about to cross the river. They were afraid that there were not enough wooden boards to build the pontoon bridge, so they tore down the doors and bed boards in their homes, and now they have been sent outside the camp!" Qi Wenkang, who was born in Luoyang Academy, faced
When the people suddenly became enthusiastic, they did not dare to make their own decisions, so they had to bring the leading old man to report.
"How...how does this happen?" Zhu Youcong is not just showing off. He has been busy crossing the river for so long since he came to Yonghe. He has not done anything good for the people at all. How can he accept such selfless help from them?
"General, just accept it!" An old man stood out from the crowd and said: "Since the general came to our poor place, the military officers have not harmed our people, and the government has given us a livelihood according to its words. I don't understand.
What a big deal, but since the imperial court treats us as human beings, we should treat the imperial court with all our heart. These things are useful for the army to suppress rebellion, so please accept them, general..."
"General, please grant me your permission!" The simple people were afraid of being rejected, so they simply knelt on the ground.
"Everyone, get up, get up..." Zhu Youcong choked and helped them up one by one, and said to his subordinates who were about to set off: "Remember them, remember these kind people! Remember that we are here for them.