The river breeze was warm, the colorful flags fluttered in the wind, and the summer sun exuded a clear aura. On the twenty-fifth day of the fourth month, a bustling crowd was crossing the mountains on the southern shore of the Han River, gathering toward the small district on the shore.
Young men in ragged clothes, trembling old men, children following their parents, scholars, soldiers, beggars … At this moment, they were all heading in the same direction. Along the way, the mountains rose and fell, and the green world was filled with vitality. There were even people beating gongs and drums on both sides of the official road. A few thin and weak scholars met and pointed at the surrounding scenery. It was an extraordinarily lively scene.
Up ahead was Western District, the residence of the Dai Mengwei Clan.
This small district, which had only had twenty to thirty thousand people before, now had more than one hundred and fifty thousand people. Naturally, this included the soldiers who had gathered from various regions. Western District had just quelled a 'rebellion', and the war had yet to end. The massacre of the 'rebel army' on the eastern side of the city had only just begun. To the south of the district, another large number of civilians had gathered. For a moment, this small district that could be considered beautiful and picturesque had become a bustling metropolis.
The majority of the civilians who had gathered here had come to thank Dai Mengwei for saving their lives. They had brought over silk banners, plaques, and umbrellas to thank Dai Mengwei for her benevolence toward the Han people of the world.
Western District was not very large, and Dai Mengwei was already very old, so there were not many people she could meet. Thus, the people chose a venerable old man to represent them and deliver the gifts of gratitude they had entrusted to her. Outside the southern city gate, those who could not enter the city gathered on the grassy slopes or in the mountains, dragging their children with them as they prostrated in the direction of the Dai Residence.
In the last year or two of plundering and killing, the Jurchen Western Army had carved out quite a few cities as their territory. A large number of laborers, craftsmen, and even slightly attractive women had been imprisoned in these cities. The purpose of this was naturally to take them along with them as they retreated north. And with the defeat of the southwestern war, Dai Mengwei had made a deal to take back the 'ownership' of these people. In the last few days, the news that they would be released and would receive a certain amount of subsidies had spread throughout the cities to the south of the Yangtze, and public opinion had begun to ferment.
If everything went smoothly, the number of people she could bring back to the north would only be a few hundred thousand. However, the number of people affected by the disaster of war was far more than this. A large number of cities came under the control of the Han army after the war. The Han army also submitted to the Jurchen, so it is not an exaggeration to say that they are under the rule of the Jurchen. The Jurchens had lost the war and returned to the north in a panic. They couldn't take the captives with them, but it was very likely that they would set fire to them or start a massacre.
At this time, it was the old Dai Mengwei, Teacher Dai, who stood up and explained the pros and cons to the Goddess of Valleys. In the end, not only did he protect everyone, he did not destroy the rations and resources that the Goddess of Valleys could not take away. Instead, they were all handed over to Dai Mengwei. In this way, after everyone was released, they could even keep some of their belongings and resume their daily lives. Such kindness could be said to have given birth to Buddha in the south of the Yangtze, and could even be said to be the work of a saint.
In this kind of action, there were certainly some actions that were questionable. For example, there were tens of thousands of Black Flag bandits. Although they also resisted the gold, they were now used as bargaining chips by Dai Mengwei. But to the people who had already lived in fear and embarrassment for more than a year, such flaws were negligible.
In their panic and fear, the people had thought that whoever defeated the Jurchens was a hero. But now that they were saved by Dai Mengwei, they immediately felt that Dai Mengwei was indeed a reasonable and virtuous scholar and saint for being able to persist in opposing the Black Flag. That's right, if the Black Flag had not killed the Emperor, the Wu dynasty would not have ended up like this. If they forgot their past mistakes just because they resisted the Jurchens, where would their moral integrity be?
It had been a few days since Xi Yin handed over the control of the population, resources and Han army to Dai Mengwei. Although the generals of the various armies had their own ideas, but at the moment, they could not help but be impressed by Dai Mengwei's generosity. In theory, this ruthless old man who could control clouds and rain with a flip of his hand without batting an eyelid was bound to be one of the most important cores of power in the south of the Yangtze. Because of this, in the first few days of propaganda and arrangements, everyone also did their best to establish this saint's image with a wave of information.
In the past, the people in various places were worried that they would be massacred and brought to the north by the Jurchens. When they heard that the war in the southwest had failed, they did not feel relieved. Instead, the fear in their hearts increased. Now that they had finally escaped from this terrible shadow, and heard that in the future there would even be resources to be returned and there would be officials to help restore the people's livelihood, the feelings in their hearts were indescribable. The reaction of the places that were further away from Xi City might be slower, but the people from the two nearby big cities surged towards Xi City and blocked the small county town so tightly that not even a drop of water could trickle through.
There were also a large number of abject Confucian scholars who gathered here. Firstly, they were grateful for Dai Mengwei's kindness, and secondly, they wanted to take this opportunity to give pointers and sell what they had learned.
Dai Mengwei's reputation was not well known in the past, but now that his actions were known to the world, he would naturally be admired from all sides. If they came earlier, they might be recognized and even be able to gain the merit of becoming a dragon.
These things had just begun, Dai Mengwei did not stop the gathering of the people. He only ordered his men to open up the granary, and set up a porridge stall outside the city. He tried his best to let the people who came have a meal before he left. On the surface, the old man did not receive many outsiders every day, but according to his usual habits, he taught in the Dai family's private school for half a day every day. The moral integrity of a Confucian was spread to the outside world, and people were impressed.
On the twenty-fifth day, although the "rebels" from the east of the city had begun to be slaughtered, the county town was still lively and peaceful. In the morning, a funeral was held at the back mountain of the Dai family. It was for the children of the Dai family who had died in this major operation. After they were buried, the old man began to teach in front of the grave mountain. A group of the Dai family's children and relatives knelt nearby, listening respectfully.
The mountain breeze was refreshing, but there was black smoke drifting in the sky to the east of the county town in the distance. It was the smoke that rose when the corpses of the rebels were burned. The two scenes of death and the atmosphere strangely combined together, and the old man also began to talk about the general situation of the world according to this scene, occasionally mentioning the discussion in the "Analects of Confucius". Later, he extended it to the "Tao Te Ching", and began to talk about the principle that "soldiers are weapons of murder, and saints have no choice but to use them".
Everyone bowed their heads and listened.
When the lesson was almost over, a steward came over and whispered some news to Dai Mengwei. Dai Mengwei nodded and let the crowd disperse, and then went to the manor. Not long after, he saw a lightly dressed big shot in the yard of the study of the Dai family, Liu Guangshi.
Liu Guangshi bowed to Dai Mengwei, and Dai Mengwei also bowed to him, "I didn't expect you to come in person."
"How can such a major event be handled by a servant? Moreover, if I didn't come in person, how could I see with my own eyes the grand occasion of Duke Dai saving millions of people and the people's loyalty? " Liu Guangshi's tone was not high, but natural and sincere, "The Jin Kingdom's West Army was defeated and returned to the north. If it wasn't for Duke Dai, the millions of people's lives and the supplies and fodder would not have been handled in such a way. Duke Dai, you are so righteous, please accept my bow again."
"You are too kind, Duke Liu." Dai Mengwei held him up, "My body is withered and can't fight against the enemy. I just took advantage of a loophole and did what I could. Schemes can't last long. In the future, the world will be in turmoil, and the world will need a soldier like Duke Liu to support it. Today, everything in the world has been destroyed, and life is difficult to sustain. If there is no way to reform, three or five years like me will be like drinking poison to quench thirst. "
"You are right, Duke Dai." Liu Guangshi nodded, "In recent years, I have been worried about the same thing. In the chaotic world, martial arts flourish and literature decline. In order to fight against the Jurchen, we have to rely on military law and mountain bandits. However, these people are uneducated and vulgar. They occupy a place and eat away at the people, never thinking about the welfare of the people, adding to the chaos. Duke Dai … There are too few people like Duke Dai who are willing to stand up for the world."
"You flatter me, Duke Liu."
"You deserve it, Duke Dai." Liu Guangshi complimented, looked at Dai Mengwei's unmoved old face, and sighed, "Back to the topic, Duke Dai, Ning Liheng has killed his way out of the Sword Garret, and will probably reach Hanzhong in a few days … How is the situation in Hanzhong, can you find any clues?"
"The battlefield in Hanzhong has been in chaos under the command of Ni Han. The day before yesterday, Xi Yin rushed to the outskirts of Hanzhong, and the battle has already started yesterday. According to the previous situation, it will not be easy to determine the winner. Although Qin Shaoqian's 20,000 elite troops are strong, Ni Han and Xi Yin are both heroes, the outcome of this battle is hard to predict … Of course, I don't understand military affairs, and my judgment may not be heard by the Fang family. Duke Liu should be clearer than me about the specifics."
The battle between the Jin Kingdom and the Seventh Army of the Black Flag Army in Hanzhong was the focus of the world. Liu Guangshi must have arranged for spies to go over and report back at any time. However, he secretly came to West City, and the feedback of the information would not be as fast as Dai Mengwei and the others who were nearby. After saying a few words, Dai Mengwei sent someone to fetch the most recent information and passed it to Liu Guangshi. Liu Guangshi read it in detail in the room.
It was noon, the sun shone on the courtyard outside, but there was a slight breeze in the room. A well-dressed servant came in to refill the tea, and could not help but look curiously at this dignified and steady guest.
Although the Dai family used to be an aristocratic family with strict family discipline, but in terms of level, they could only influence a few small counties nearby. It was only in the last few days that the actions of the master of the family shocked the world. Not only did he reach an agreement with the Goddess of Valley, he openly set up a flag to fight against the Black Flag, he also gained the support of all parties, and people from all over came to the court. Although the servants in the mansion received strict orders, and their bearing had improved, they could not help but be shocked by the identity of the guest who secretly came over these few days.
This General Liu Guangshi, in the past, was one of the top generals in the world, and now it was said that he controlled a large piece of land. On the surface, he was guarding the land for the Wu dynasty, but in reality, it was not an exaggeration to say that he had ceded land to become a king. But in front of his own master, he actually came to visit and negotiate. Those who knew about the matter were shocked, but also felt honored.
Liu Guangshi read the information on Dai Mengwei's side in detail, and drank a mouthful of tea. In the past few days, the situation of the Hanzhong Battle was so intense that even Ni Han and Xi Yin themselves could not grasp the whole picture. Some of the spies who were nearby found out even more confused. On the way over, Liu Guangshi received some information, and compared it with the Liu family's information, he knew that the details of the information were all unreliable, and only the general direction could be speculated.
"Ni Han and Xi Yin led the troops, the Jin Kingdom has more than a hundred thousand troops, including the Mountain-slaughtering Guards. Qin Shaoqian has less than twenty thousand troops. If it was in the past, it would be hard for me to believe that they could face each other face to face, but in the end … it has become a stalemate, Qin Shaoqian … sigh …"
Liu Guangshi sighed. In his mind, he was still thinking about Qin Siyuan, Qin Shaohe, and Qin Shaoqian from more than ten years ago. Back then, Qin Siyuan was skilled in maneuvering, and was able to wrestle with Cai Jing and Tong Guan. Qin Siyuan inherited Qin Siyuan's mantle, and soared through the ranks. Later, he defended Taiyuan against Ni Han for a year, which was also admirable. But Qin Shaoqian, as the second young master of the Qin family, had nothing special about him, except for his violent and upright character. But he would never have thought that, more than ten years after Qin Siyuan and Qin Shaohe's death, this son of the Qin family, who walked the path of a military general, could suppress Ni Han.
More than a year ago, when the Jin Kingdom's West Army attacked the Jingxiang defense line, Liu Guangshi was at the frontline to supervise the battle, and was especially familiar with the Mountain-slaughtering Guards. The Wu dynasty's army was rife with corruption, and the relationships were complicated. Liu Guangshi, a son of an aristocratic family, understood this better than anyone. Zhou Junwu risked universal condemnation, offended countless people, and trained a Beiwei Army that no one could interfere with. Even when facing the Mountain-slaughtering Guards, he still lost more than he won. Liu Guangshi could not help but sigh. Yue Fei was young and impetuous, and his methods were not tactful enough. He often thought that if he had the same resources and trust … he might have been able to defend Jingxiang.
Of course, such things could only be thought, and could not be said out loud. But because of this, he understood the power of the Beiwei Army, and also the power of the Mountain-slaughtering Guards. At this moment, it was difficult to understand how powerful Qin Shaoqian's Hua Xia's Seventh Army was from the specific information.
"… The strength of the Hua Xia army is still due to Mister Ning of the Southwest. Seven thousand troops on the Luo Qiao broke through thirty thousand, and killed Wanyan Xiebao. He scared the guts out of Ni Han, and that was why the West Army turned around and retreated. Now that he killed Ba Licu and left the Sword Garret, whether it was Ni Han or Xi Yin, they would definitely not want to face him at this time. Ni Han fought a chaotic battle because they did not have the confidence to fight a decisive battle head-on, and it was a delaying tactic. But delaying is only for the decisive battle. Since Xi Yin is here, he will definitely seek to finish the battle as soon as possible. Qin Shaoqian's military tactics are fierce, and almost stubborn. I'm afraid he will also face them head-on … "
Liu Guangshi analyzed, "What Master Dai said is right. From what I see, this battle will also have a conclusion within a few days … Ni Han's one hundred thousand, the Qin family's twenty thousand, under the situation where the demons in their hearts do not come, it can only be a lose-lose situation. The problem is, how fierce the battle is, or when to choose to stop."
"Does Master Liu think, it will stop?"
"Ni Han and Xi Yin control a hundred thousand troops. Of course, they hope to eliminate Qin Shaoqian in one battle, but from the previous news, the strength of the army under Qin Shaoqian is really earth-shattering. Based on Qin Shaoqian's thinking, he probably also hopes to kill Ni Han and Xi Yin in Hanzhong. But even if he thinks so, who are Ni Han and Xi Yin? Even if Qin Shaoqian is a hero like Wanyan Aguda, Ni Han is not the Tian Zuo Di before Bu Dagang … This battle is already unusually fierce. From what I see, both sides will use Hanzhong as the battlefield, and entangle for a few days. If Ni Han and Qin Shaoqian do not die, both sides will slowly break away from the battle, and both sides will suffer losses, which is the most likely outcome … Actually, both sides have already suffered losses, but Hua Xia's Seventh Army can force Ni Han to this extent, it can already be said that no one in this world can defeat them. "
Although Liu Guangshi said that the Seventh Army of China was invincible, his tone was still calm. After all, the general trend of the world was not something that could be controlled by one or two invincible armies. The transition between the strong and the weak in the world was not something that could be explained clearly in a few words. Dai Mengwei's face was a little sorrowful, and he nodded. "Just like what the officials in the capital said, this Hua Xia army is strong and easy to break, and cannot defend for long. They will have a lot less trouble."
His tone was flat, with a hint of sarcasm. Liu Guangshi smiled slightly. "What does Master Dai think?"
"This old man is not that optimistic. Hua Xia's army is rising like the rising sun, and its determination to forge ahead is admirable. Ning Rentu is like Wanyan Aguda, a hero of a generation … It's just that his path is too radical. The stronger Hua Xia's army is, the longer the world will be in turmoil. Now that the world has been in turmoil for more than ten years, our Central Plains and Jiangnan's Han people have died more than ten million. Hua Xia's army is so radical, and wants to exterminate Confucianism. Without the deaths of billions of people, it will be difficult to quell this chaos … Since this old man knows this, I can't not stand up and stop this disaster. "
Liu Guangshi was slightly puzzled. "I hope Master Dai can elaborate."
Dai Mengwei then roughly repeated what she had said to Xi Yin that day. Liu Guangshi stood up and bowed again, "I only know that the Great Sage is here today. Compared to Master Dai's magnanimity, the nobles in the capital city are merely clowns …"
In the face of the substantial rise of Hua Xia's army, Wu Qimei and the others in the capital chose to fight back by piecing together reasons to explain the harm that Hua Xia's army did to the big clans, aristocratic families, and separatist forces. Those words could certainly bewitch some people, but in the face of Liu Guangshi and the other big forces, Wu Qimei's piecing together of arguments and inciting others actually appeared to be glib and weak. However, in the face of a great enemy, people naturally would not refute it.
Relatively speaking, Dai Mengwei's words at this time started with the overall situation, and it was really from a strategically advantageous position, and full of persuasion. In the past, the Hua Xia army's call to exterminate Confucianism could be treated as a joke. If it was really carried out, the series of actions of killing the emperor and exterminating Confucianism would cause chaos in the world. This was a result that anyone with a little bit of knowledge could see. Now that the Hua Xia army had defeated the Jurchen, such a result was forced before their eyes. Dai Mengwei's words, at the highest level, were equivalent to setting the program and starting point of opposing the Black Flag Army.
With Liu Guangshi's knowledge, he naturally understood that the big clans in the capital were just going with the flow and pretending to believe the words. However, once Dai Mengwei's words spread out, people with knowledge from all over the world would truly believe it and would also feel a sense of mission.
After flattering Dai Mengwei, he had already considered many operations in his mind. He immediately confessed to Dai Mengwei, "To be honest with Master Dai, in the past month or so, seeing the Jin Kingdom's West Army retreat north and the Hua Xia army's momentum grow, I and the various leaders under my command have all kinds of plans. Today, I came to ask Master Dai for advice one by one … In fact, with the world in such turmoil, how much our Wu dynasty can preserve depends on the current situation …"
He immediately confessed to Dai Mengwei the plan of connecting the various clans, crossing Jingxiang, and recovering Bianliang one by one to Dai Mengwei. At this time, some of the participants were also one of the warlords "loyal" to Dai Mengwei. Now that the situation in the world was so chaotic, seeing that the Black Flag Army was about to rise, Liu Guangshi and Dai Mengwei's positions could be considered as the side of the Black Flag Army's bed, so there was an extremely good reason for them to join forces.
Moreover, Liu Guangshi was proficient in military affairs, but he ultimately lacked the most professional structure and vision for the structure of civil affairs. In the future situation, even if he could recover Bianliang, he could only build a one-man army, but not a relatively healthy small court. Dai Mengwei had the meticulousness of civil affairs and the vision of the overall situation, but he still did not have enough control over his subordinates and generals. He just happened to need the addition of partners to balance the balance.
Although Dai Mengwei's expression did not change after Liu Guangshi confessed, he immediately told Liu Guangshi what he was thinking. In the past, the Wu dynasty had decayed, and all kinds of relationships were so complicated that the civil and military officials were on the verge of decay. At this moment, when the enemy was right in front of them, the various parties certainly had to talk about benefits when they united, but it was also time to break down and build up. For the various warlords and generals, they had just experienced the shadow of the Jin and the Black Flag Army, so they did not have too many requirements. It was time to purge military discipline, reform the military system, and strengthen management.
As for the civil official system, right now the old framework was already in chaos, and it was also time to take advantage of the great imperial examinations and promote the poor. In the past dynasties, this kind of opportunity only existed when the country was founded. Although right now they also had to rope in the various large families, there were many empty positions. In front of a strong enemy, it was easy to reach a consensus. If they could really recapture Bianliang and restore order, a new Wu dynasty brimming with vitality was worth looking forward to.
Dai Mengwei now had the hearts of the people, and was also deeply prepared for this change. Liu Guangshi was unable to contain his joy after this exchange. It was already noon. Dai Mengwei ordered the servants to prepare food and wine. The two continued to talk as they ate. During this time, Liu Guangshi also brought up the problem of the Black Flag Army. "Right now, the Qin family's Seventh Army is in Hanzhong. There is also an army of more than three thousand people being besieged nearby. Regardless of the situation in Hanzhong, once the Female Zhenren retreats, with the Black Flag Army's habit of seeking revenge for the smallest grievance, I'm afraid they will not let Master Dai go. Regarding this matter, does Master Dai have a way to deal with it? "
Dai Mengwei only smiled calmly. "If so, this old man will stretch out his neck and wait for him to kill. It will also let the people of the world see what kind of quality this Hua Xia army really is."
He had saved 'millions of people' from the hands of the Female Zhenren. Right now his reputation had already risen. Regarding the possibility of the Hua Xia army taking revenge, he was only generous and awe-inspiring, facing death unflinchingly. Liu Guangshi hurriedly shook his head. "Ai, we can't do this. Master Dai has let down the hopes of the world. In the future, everything in this world will not be able to leave Master Dai. Master Dai must not be so impulsive. This matter must be considered at length."
Dai Mengwei said, "Then let him come. There's no harm."
The two of them then carried out a discussion of the various details of the alliance. After noon it was the hour of the night. At a quarter to the hour, the intelligence from Hanzhong arrived.
The moment he received the intelligence, even with Dai Mengwei's shrewdness, he could not help but change his expression. He confirmed the intelligence twice, his hands trembling slightly. He looked at the scout who had sent the news, then looked at Liu Guangshi beside him. After a long time, he finally took a deep breath. "I never expected that this old man would actually hope for the Female Zhenren one day …"
At this point, his lips trembled and he did not continue speaking. He handed the intelligence over to Liu Guangshi. Liu Guangshi glanced at it and looked at the scout. "… Really?"
In terms of time, the scout had come too quickly. This kind of first-hand information, without the confirmation of time, was extremely likely to be reversed. This intelligence could not be considered bad news. After all, the two sides involved in the war were both enemies. But this kind of intelligence was truly too heavy for the entire world. Its significance to them was also heavy and complicated.
On the 24th of the fourth month, the Jurchen Western Army and the Hua Xia Seventh Army engaged in a decisive battle outside Hanzhong. On the afternoon of that day, Qin Shaoqian led the main force of the Hua Xia Seventh Army in a frontal assault on Nio Han's main force near Tuanshan, fifteen li west of Hanzhong. Nio Han fled towards Hanzhong, and Qin Shaoqian chased after him. He killed Nio Han's son, Wanyan Xie, on horseback. By the time this news was sent out, the flames of war had already reached Hanzhong. The Jurchen Western Army of a hundred thousand was already on the verge of collapse …
Too fast.
Liu Guangshi's mind was buzzing. Right now, he could not pay attention to too many details. For example, this was the first time in several decades that Nio Han had been forced to flee in such a sorry state. For example, Nio Han's two sons had actually been killed on the frontlines by the Hua Xia Army. For example, the Jurchen Western Army had arrived in a grandiose manner and retreated in defeat. What would become of the world … For the time being, there was only one sentence in his mind: "Too fast." The impassioned discussion and half-a-day discussion just now suddenly became dull and tasteless.
Dai Mengwei's mind was also somewhat blank.
Outside the courtyard, the sun shone down and birds chirped. Nothing seemed to have changed, but it also seemed to have changed in the blink of an eye. The past, the present, and the future were all new things.
The two of them were silent in the hall. Outside, the servants were moving about. The people of Western City were still bustling with activity. The scholars were pointing and discussing, and the crowds of people kowtowing outside the county were still all over the mountains and valleys. The news of the world's change was currently exploding in a hidden corner of this world. Many people still did not know what had happened …
…
"Lord Dai …"
At some point, Liu Guangshi stood up and was about to speak …
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
