"My lord, the matter has been completed. We are on the line with Situ Fei from Liangzhou and Situ Hao from Luoyang in Yongzhou. However, Situ Hao has no intention of having a close relationship with us and does not even want our people to appear in Yongzhou."
Zhao Xun said with a smile: "Situ Hao certainly doesn't want our people to appear in Yongzhou. Unlike Situ Fei, there is no war in Yongzhou. If he wants to seize power, he naturally does not need external help. As long as he is cruel enough and his methods are quick enough, everything will be done." It's not a problem. Don't underestimate the remnants of the former dynasty that gave Situ Lei a headache. It shouldn't be a problem for them to help Situ Hao succeed. Now that Bingzhou is in our hands, this puts a lot of pressure on Yongzhou. It would be weird to expect our people to be involved.¡±
"How is the situation over there in Liangzhou? In comparison, Situ Fei in Liangzhou needs our help more."
Lu Ziliang said: "We have completed the transaction with Situ Fei. As the Lord said, this Situ Fei really needs our help. With Situ Fei's secret help, we have successively won the eight counties without bloodshed." Because of this, Lin Shucheng, the governor of Liangzhou, was forced to re-activate the old generals of the Liangzhou Army. Now, the Liangzhou Army has been taken over by Situ Fei again. "
Zhao Xun was overjoyed and said: "That's very good, so where should Situ Fei choose to base himself? Hanzhong or Chang'an? Or is he planning to do both?"
Lu Ziliang said solemnly: "Situ Fei didn't say anything about this, but judging from our people, he wants to capture both of them and occupy Chang'an and Hanzhong. There are dangerous passes on all sides to defend. If you occupy this place, you can completely reject it. The enemy is from outside the country.¡±
Zhao Xun nodded and said: "The land of Chang'an Sanfu and Hanzhong are both dangerous places. Being together is indeed the foundation for establishing a business. Since he chose this place, we will secretly help him. They will not establish a business alone. How can we dismantle this huge Yongjun group?"
Pei Yi said with some worry: "My lord, Hanzhong and Chang'an are both dangerous places. As you said, lord, they are the foundation of our business. But they are also blocking our roads to the south and east. Will it have an impact on us?¡±
Zhao Xun smiled and said: "It doesn't matter. If we only have Liangzhou and Yongzhou bordering each other, this potential threat is indeed very important. However, to the north of Yongzhou is Bingzhou and to the northeast is Jizhou. No matter where we attack, we can kill Enter Yongzhou and Chang'an. Without Chang'an, the threat from Hanzhong is not great, especially after Situ Fei confronts King Yong of Yizhou, he is no longer afraid of too much threat. "
Situ Liang nodded and said: "What my lord said is true. Without the support from the rear and no broad room for maneuver, the land of Hanzhong alone is simply not enough to fight against us. Furthermore, we may not necessarily go south from Hanzhong in the future. The same goes for defeating the southeastern princes first."
As the new year approaches, the chaotic and dilapidated territory of Dayan Kingdom gradually calms down. Whether it was Zhao Jun, the northern overlord in the north, or the southern princes who were fighting endlessly in the south, they all lay down quietly and licked their wounds in this winter
The Zhao army in the west took advantage of this opportunity to accept the refugees and move with the army. Although more than half of the territory of Liangzhou was taken away by the Zhao army, the land occupied by the Zhao army was all barren. Within the area, Hu and Han people lived together, and the Hu people from the Western Regions occupied a large area. proportion.
After Zhao Jun regained the western prefectures, he began to attack the powerful clans on a large scale and organized the Hu clan to gather together. For this reason, a large number of young Hu clansmen died in the war. What was left behind was a huge number of women and children. Under the hint of the local government and the encouragement of some policies, many Han people living in the western counties began to take Hu women as wives and concubines.
Even some unmarried soldiers from the town got married and settled here. Many of them are heroes on the battlefield. After this time, they will transform into local county soldiers, officers and backbones of the government soldiers. Finally, they will become an important force in stabilizing the counties in the west.
In addition to encouraging intermarriage between Hu and Han, Zhao Jun also continued to accept refugees. The land of Liangzhou was attacked by the Zhao army. Naturally, many people became refugees. Many people in the Liangzhou army could not bear the heavy taxes and began to flee to the west, where they were settled one by one by the Zhao army.
Just as various places began to enter the rest stage, Zhao Xun and others were busy attacking the countries in the Western Regions. Zhao Jun continuously obtained intelligence from the spies who accompanied the merchants. Zhao Jun also gradually gained understanding of the countries in the Western Regions. Although the countries in the Western Regions were determined to defeat this new neighbor that appeared around them, they would work with the Liangzhou Army. But with more and more Zhao troops in the west of Liangzhou, they all suppressed the thoughts in their hearts.
For the countries in the Western Regions, it is not unacceptable for the eastern Han people to reappear as a powerful dynasty. Such things are already commonplace in the eastern Han territories.of.
For Zhao Xun, when he saw the locations marked on the map by the Western Regions countries, he thought of the four Anxi towns that appeared in the Tang Dynasty. Zhao Xun believed that he could also bring the countries in the Western Region under his command and let the flaming unicorn flag fly in the Western Region.
After understanding, Zhao Xun and others discovered that there were many countries in the Western Regions, with more than dozens of large and small countries. Conquering the countries in the Western Region is not an easy task.
"Lord, things are more complicated than we thought. I originally thought that it was just a few simple countries. Once our Zhao army arrived, we were invincible. Now it seems that it is not easy." Pei Yi looked at it Looking at the map, looking at the densely packed region names and country names, he couldn't help but shake his head and said.
Lu Ziliang also nodded and said: "It is indeed not an easy task. There are so many countries. Once we start operations, it will be difficult to completely solve them in a short time. In addition, we have to take care of the Central Plains battlefield at all times. Once anything happens in the south, , the center of gravity of our army will return here. By then, we will send troops on both sides, which will definitely put a lot of pressure on us."
Not only are they worried, others are also worried about the army heading west to conquer the countries in the Western Regions. As the army moves westward, the logistical pressure is bound to be great. Once the war reaches a stalemate, it will be a huge burden for Zhao Jun. If another unexpected situation occurs in the south at this moment, then Zhao Jun will not be able to take action in time.
Zhao Xun also said in a deep voice: "The countries in the Western Regions are more troublesome than we imagined. We appeared in the west of Liangzhou and wiped out the two countries. As a result, the countries in the Western Regions have begun to be wary of us. Once we take action again, they will definitely join forces to deal with our attack. Although they will not all unite, it will be difficult for us to join forces with just three or four countries that are connected to Liangzhou."
Situ Liang said: "Indeed, logistics is the most important factor restricting us. The land of Liangzhou is already poor, so even if we capture the entire territory of Liangzhou, we will not be able to provide support for the army's westward movement. At the very least, several There is no way within the year, so the army¡¯s needs must be transported from the rear.¡±
"As for the difficult roads in Liangzhou, it is also a key issue. To the west, there is a desert area, and whether the soldiers can adapt to it is also a key issue. When we regained the prefectures and counties in the western part of Liangzhou, we destroyed two countries in succession. Although it shocked the countries in the Western Region, it also made them wary of us. "
"Once we start taking action, it is very likely that many countries in the Western Region will join forces to fight against the enemy. This will be a big trouble. My soldiers, Sergeant Zhao, are strong. In addition to strict training and strict military discipline, the armor and equipment are also This is a very critical factor. This also has a great impact on us, including logistics supplies and soldier casualties. "
"In addition, as far as I know, Yanqi, Qiuci, Shule, Khotan and other countries that are relatively close to us all have tens of thousands of troops, or even nearly a hundred thousand. Although their armies appear to us to be very different. Far away. However, when we act, we must act in other people¡¯s territory. They are fighting locally and have obvious advantages in all aspects.¡±
Zhao Xun said in a deep voice: "The three countries of Gaochang, Yanqi, and Qiuci are the key. They are directly in front of us heading west. We cannot continue to move westward without breaking through them."
"However, we are not without advantages. Our soldiers are stronger than theirs, and our armor and equipment are stronger than theirs. In addition, if we want to take action, they will not be able to counterattack accordingly."
In Zhao Xun¡¯s view, the attacks launched by the countries in the Western Region must be so swift that the countries cannot respond. At the very least, a breakthrough must be opened.
"In addition, these countries in the Western Region are not monolithic. What we said they will unite to resist us is also a possibility. Furthermore, not all countries can be determined to fight against our Zhao army. Before the border, the army went out to fight."
¡°Let¡¯s not talk about the distance, let¡¯s just say that Yanqi and Qiuci have had many wars over their territorial boundaries in the past. These are all favorable conditions that we can take advantage of.¡±
Hearing what Zhao Xun said, Situ Liang¡¯s eyes lit up and he said with a smile, ¡°My lord, do you mean to make friends from far away and attack those close to you?¡±
"That's right!" Zhao Xun said in a deep voice, "Distant diplomacy and close attack! Gaochang and Yanqi are the two countries closest to us, and they even have borders with each other. Kucha Kingdom is far away, and the Yanqi Kingdom is between Guici Kingdom and us. . It would be a shame not to take advantage of it.¡±
When Lu Ziliang and others heard this, their eyes lit up, and they all clapped their hands and smiled: "My lord, this plan is very good! Leveraging our own strength is the way to make the most profit for us. Originally, we fought alone, but now we all have to fight at the same time. They fight each other, and when they are almost at war with each other, I, the Zhao army, can march straight in. "
Zhao Xun smiled and said: "All the countries in the Western Regions, a plate ofThe threat to us from loose sand is not that high. Now, what we need to do is to continuously transport the supplies needed by the army to Liangzhou after the beginning of spring. In addition, the first and third town armies in Liangzhou must also increase their exploration of countries such as the Western Regions, and at the same time, they must adapt to the environment there. "
Pei Yi smiled and said: "Lord, don't worry, our great Zhao has been developing steadily in recent years. Even when we start wars, they are all small-scale battles, and the battles end quickly. Compared with the southern princes, our losses after the war started, It can be said that it is minimal. The only thing that needs to be focused on is the new policy reforms in Xinna.¡±
"The land of Liangzhou not only needs the materials needed to relocate and settle the people, but they cannot be paid from the local area. It also needs support from the rear. Among them, the amount of materials we need to spend is relatively high. However, the rewards in the future are also obvious. . Even now, many people in Liangzhou Prefecture and County, which are still occupied by the Liangzhou Army, have fled to the western region to live in our territory. "
Zhao Xun said: "This matter is related to people's livelihood, and we must pay close attention to it. From the situation of people fleeing, we can see that whether the government can take action will affect the general trend of the world. I don't want us to be in the west and the Western Regions in the future. Countries are at war, but there is civil strife behind our backs.¡±
"Lord, don't worry, although heavy snow has fallen in all areas in the north, all kinds of food and materials are being continuously transported to the western part of Liangzhou in all passable areas. Now, although the people in the counties in the western part of Liangzhou live in relatively poor conditions, But it won't be the same as before." Pei Yi said in a deep voice. He also knew that Zhao Xun was very close to this kind of thing, so he never ignored it.
"In addition, the refugees who migrated during this cold winter are a big problem. As far as we know, many places have frozen to death because of the refugees wandering in the snow. Such situations have occurred in Liangzhou, Hanzhong, Yongzhou, etc. They appear all over the place. We have no idea about this, even if they enter our territory and are not discovered in time, they may starve to death or freeze to death.¡±
Zhao Xun frowned and said: "No matter what, we can't ignore this. Let's let the soldiers on the border patrol more, especially the local county soldiers and government soldiers, and treat it as their regular training. Although they They are not regular soldiers, but they may be added to the ranks at any time. Letting them train in this kind of weather can be regarded as a kind of training for them. "
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The cold wind is howling, snowflakes are falling, and the whole earth is pure white.
"What is going on? What on earth is the second young master doing?" Looking at the plum blossoms blooming proudly in the cold weather in the courtyard, Lin Shucheng felt particularly irritable. The reason was none other than Situ Fei, the former governor of Liangzhou and the second son of King Yong, who was still in Liangzhou.
What worried Lin Shucheng was that he discovered that the power in Liangzhou was once again controlled by the former Liangzhou Army. Not only in the army, but also in the government affairs of the Governor's Office, he was now gradually unable to get involved.
It¡¯s not that Lin Shucheng isn¡¯t smart, it¡¯s not that he doesn¡¯t have the ability, it¡¯s that people in Liangzhou don¡¯t follow the rules at all. In other words, no matter what methods he used, the other party completely ignored him. It can be said that everyone in Liangzhou has forgotten about him as the new governor of Liangzhou.
Since the last time the confidants he deployed to defend the city were defeated, the military power of the Liangzhou Army has been taken back step by step by the original Liangzhou Army. It would be fine if this was just a defeat, but similar situations occurred everywhere. What's more, some officers in the rear were also removed for various reasons, and he, Lin Shucheng, had nothing to say.
For example, the garrison general of Longxi Prefecture was exposed for causing trouble to the people and raping/humiliating women, and was immediately replaced. It is difficult to describe the other reasons, but they all have the same reason, that is, the evidence is conclusive and irrefutable.
After Lin Shucheng personally inquired, he discovered that none of his cronies knew what was going on. Just like the garrison general who raped/humiliated women, he had no idea what was going on. There were women and children from wealthy families in the city on his bed.
However, after the original general was restored to his original position, the Liangzhou army became more vigorous in fighting, and was even able to counterattack and repel the Zhao army. The Liangzhou army, which had been defeated when they saw the Zhao army before, immediately turned around and became much stronger, as if it had been given a shot of blood.
Lin Shucheng immediately felt that there must be other problems. At first, Lin Shucheng thought that a senior official among the Liangzhou Governor was colluding with Zhao Jun and deliberately framed him. But then he discovered that the civil servants in Liangzhou began to ignore him.
Within Liangzhou, everyone, both civil and military, disdained his military orders. As time went by, no one in Liangzhou paid attention to the governor of Liangzhou anymore. In fact, all the civil servants in the Governor's Office refused to take leave and ignored him as the Governor.
Liangzhou will not have a great governor who oversees everything.Something? No, nothing at all. These officials all work alone in the mansion, and gather in the mansion of Chang Shi Tianyu every day to handle the affairs of Liangzhou. As for the officials in Liangzhou, no one reported to Lin Shucheng anymore, but went directly to Tian Yu's house.
The residence of Liang Governor Shi Tianyu is completely another governor's mansion, the only thing missing is the name of the governor. Lin Shucheng had nothing to do about this. Give these people orders? The other party is seriously ill and cannot handle affairs. Send your own cronies to deal with it? They couldn't leave Longxi Fucheng at all.
Of course, the officials in Longxi Fucheng did not make it too difficult for the Governor. Every time Wang Hewen, Tian Yu and others finished handling Liangzhou's affairs, they still took it to the Governor's Office to have Lin Shucheng seal it.
Seeing this, Lin Shucheng made several moves, but the other party didn't react at all. No matter how Lin Shucheng tried, the other party had ignored him.
When he came to Liangzhou to take office this time, Lin Shucheng led not many people. Some of his close associates who were military attach¨¦s were either arrested and imprisoned for various crimes, or died in battle. By the time Lin Shucheng received a steady stream of news that his cronies had died in battle with Zhao Jun, and realized that there was something wrong, it was already too late. Lin Shucheng immediately sent an order to these cronies in the army, preparing to transfer them back in the name of the Grand Governor, but at this moment, basically all of these people were "killed".
Therefore, in mid-December, Lin Shucheng¡¯s cronies were basically running out. They were all placed under house arrest in Longxi Fucheng and were not allowed to leave. Although Lin Shucheng was extremely intelligent, there was nothing he could do about it.