Yan Gaocai's words were full of murderous intent. The civil and military officials who had insisted on putting the safety of the Crown Prince immediately fell silent, unable to say a word of objection.
You used the Crown Prince's life to threaten the Imperial Court to give up land for ransom and let the Barbarians proclaim themselves as kings? Do you know how the Imperial Court handled the 'Tumu Castle Incident' when the legitimate Emperor fell into the hands of Grand Tutor Wala?
Of course, Ahabe did not know, but all the civil and military officials present knew. After the Emperor of the Great Ming Dynasty was abducted, the Imperial Court first discussed any conditions that would humiliate the country. In the end, they took the initiative to lower their standards, only asking for money and silk instead of land. The Imperial Court of the Great Ming Dynasty completely ignored them, preferring to appoint a new ruler. The Empress had no choice but to send her private money and some gold and silver from her maiden family, hoping that the Emperor would be released.
Even the Imperial Court did not bargain with Wala when the Emperor of the Great Dynasty was kidnapped. How could the Barbarian Governor under the rule of the Great Ming attempt to rebel and kidnap the Crown Prince of Shu as a hostage? How could the Imperial Court agree to any of your conditions and encourage your arrogance?
Yan Gaocai's question was sharp. He was not asking Ahabe at all, but was interrogating the civil and military officials present. This way, even if Yang Ling, the imperial envoy, had the intention to go easy, the officials would not dare openly propose to negotiate terms with the Barbarian Governor, compromise, and sacrifice the interests of the government and the region in exchange for the Crown Prince's freedom. This little tail was in the hands of others, and who knew when it would be taken away.
Seeing the civil and military officials remain silent, Zhu Rangjin looked anxious, sweat dripping from his forehead. But on such an occasion, with his status and the people he represented, it was even more inconvenient for him to ask for a compromise.
In the first place, Yang Ling was not willing to make his tens of thousands of troops cower in fear and be restrained for the sake of a prince who only knew how to carry out the appeasement policy and voluntarily offered himself as a hostage. The Crown Prince's life was a life, but were the soldiers who defended the country not a life?
Now that he had a legitimate excuse, Yang Ling no longer had to care about the King of Shu's face, and his tone became tough. The barbarians of Duzhang were straightforward, and they did not know how to beat around the bush. Ahabe insisted that he would not release the Crown Prince unless the imperial court gave up Xuzhou.
Yang Ling saw that there was no room for negotiation with them, so he straightforwardly said: "Ahabe, go back and tell your Great Chieftain that I, the imperial envoy, am following the Emperor's order to patrol the world. The Barbarians have acted recklessly and have committed a grave mistake. I hope he will repent in time, release the Crown Prince of Shu, and offer a humble apology to me.
This imperial envoy will still say the same thing. Even if he has looted several counties, killed countless people, and committed numerous crimes, as long as he repents in time and is willing to descend the mountain and return to his village, no longer stubbornly resisting and becoming an enemy of the imperial court, this imperial envoy can still represent the imperial court to pardon his crimes and let bygones be bygones. He was still a hereditary chieftain recognized by the imperial court, so his personal interests would not suffer any losses. This is the greatest concession the imperial court can make. "
Yang Ling slowly stood up and walked down the commander's table step by step. He sternly said: "My tens of thousands of troops will not wait indefinitely. Go back and tell Ahabe that this imperial envoy will set a limit of seven days. Starting tomorrow, after seven days, if Ahabe does not release the Crown Prince and does not descend the mountain to surrender, that will be the day I will suppress the bandits and suppress the rebellion!"
Ahabe and the others had been accustomed to the imperial court's tolerance and restraint in the past, and they still remembered the glorious battle record of the imperial court's 200,000 troops not being able to do anything to them during the Chenghua period, so they did not take Yang Ling's threat seriously at all. Ahabe sneered disdainfully, curled his lips, cupped his hands, and swaggered out of the commander's tent with his subordinate, swaggering away.
Marshal Yang had met Hua Dang, Boyan, and Huo Zhai at the northern frontier, annihilated tens of thousands of Wokou pirates in Jiangnan, and summoned the four great pirates to surrender. In the southeast, he recovered Manladaka, the commander of the Portuguese navy begged him to surrender, and the king of Manladaka respectfully expressed his gratitude. Who would have thought that in this tiny Xuzhou, he would be looked down upon by the subordinate of a mere chieftain? All of his imperial bodyguards were enraged, but Yang Ling remained calm and unperturbed.
Only when Ahabe's figure had disappeared into the distance did Yang Ling say with a smile: "County Magistrate Yan, I heard that during the Han Dynasty, this place also belonged to the Yelang Kingdom?"
Yan Gaocai was indeed talented, and he replied fluently: "Milord's knowledge is profound. The capital of the Yelang Kingdom is in present-day Guizhou, but the Yelang King's territory did extend to parts of Yun, Gui, and Chuan. That's why he was so arrogant and asked, 'Which Han is greater than me?', making the world laugh for a thousand years."
Upon hearing this, Yang Ling raised his head and laughed.
After the laughter subsided, Yang Ling turned around and walked quickly back to the Marshal's desk. He slammed the gavel on the desk and shouted in a clear voice: "Civil and military officials, go back and prepare for war. In seven days, I will gather the generals and summon them to court. Dismissed! "
* * *
After the meeting in the Marshal's tent ended, Yang Ling left Yan Gaocai alone, wanting to discuss matters with him alone.
Yan Gaocai was secretly delighted. It seemed that he had finally gained Mr. Yang's attention and appreciation. He had been sitting there in a daze because he had a difficult problem on his mind. At this moment, he knew that Yang Ling must have something to ask him about suppressing the rebels, so he could ask Yang Ling for help first.
When all the officials had left, Yan Gaocai straightened his official hat and bowed: "Since milord has not removed me from my post, I am still the county magistrate of this place. After the looting and arson of the barbarians, many people are homeless and have no food or clothing. Coupled with the influx of refugees from the neighboring counties, the food reserves in my yamen have been depleted.
This lowly official is in a daze and has been thinking hard to come up with a solution. If we do not distribute the grain in time, this lowly official is worried that the common people who already harbor resentment will cause trouble. This is a difficult matter. On behalf of the common people, this lowly official asks the imperial envoy to take pity … "
"Oh? Oh …, the comfort of the refugees has always been a big matter. Put aside other things for now, I will go with you to visit these victims and understand the situation. "Yang Ling was startled at first and immediately said.
He walked to the Marshal's tent, thought for a moment and ordered the guards: "Call Commander Li, Councilor Feng, Imperial Censor Su, Governor Feng and the others. They are also considered the parents of Shu, they should go and take a look."
Immediately, Yang Ling ordered someone to go to the back tent and summon Wu Hanchao and Song Ai. The pair of little enemies came to the front tent. Song Ai was still pouting her cherry lips and looked at Wu Hanchao with an indifferent expression. But from the flirtatious expression on the corner of her eyes, it seemed that her anger had mostly dissipated. Presumably, Wu Hanchao had said a lot of small talk just now, maybe he had even added some body language.
Yang Ling was an experienced person and only smiled knowingly. He ordered the two guards to accompany him, Yan Gaocai, Magistrate Feng and the other officials out of the military camp.
Yan Gaocai first rushed back to the yamen and summoned the three groups of bailiffs. He hurriedly ordered the supervisor to quickly summon people, then he went to the second courtyard. As soon as he entered the courtyard, he hurriedly shouted: "Registrar Li, Registrar Li, how much food have you got?"
This was a small county and all the yamens were mixed together with the county yamen. This second courtyard was the treasurer's room. At this moment, the door to the storehouse was wide open and a strange voice spoke from inside: "I say, Magistrate Yan, this storehouse can't even keep a mouse alive right now, how can there be rice to feed people? Those unruly people usually don't pay any attention to the county magistrate, why do you care so much about them … "
As he spoke, a short and plump middle-aged man walked out of the storehouse. He had a moustache and an oily face. He was probably the 'fish in the sea of officials' that Yan Gaocai had mentioned in the marshal's tent.
He squinted his fish-like eyes and casually walked out. With a glance, he saw a group of people standing in the courtyard. Beside County Magistrate Yan was a tall and slender man wearing an official robe and a jade belt. Behind him was a large group of officials, all of whom had birds embroidered on their robes. Every single one of them was dazzling to the eye. The man couldn't help but jump in fright.
His thoughts turned quickly, and he immediately realized who was in front of him. He hurriedly rushed forward and knelt on the ground, kowtowing as if he was pounding garlic. "This lowly official Li Yong pays his respects to the Imperial Envoy Daren, pays his respects to everyone."
Yang Ling looked at the man and saw that his robe was neat and clean, without a speck of dust. He knew that he was just doing his job in the storehouse and had never really thought of a solution for the people. However, Yang Ling had been a post official before and knew that even if the bookkeeper was willing to put in his effort, the little grain at the bottom of the storehouse wouldn't be enough to feed a few people.
He waved his hand and said, "Get up, County Magistrate Yan. It seems that the treasury really can't gather enough relief grain. How about this, Magistrate Li, have Governor Feng write an IOU and borrow some from the military grain first. When the state government allocates relief grain, he will return it. We can't let these people starve. "
He cupped his hands and said, "The King of Shu is benevolent and loves the people. I believe that if His Highness were here, he would definitely agree with this expedient plan to save the people from their suffering."
Councilor Feng wanted to point out that this was not in line with the system, but he swallowed his words when he heard this. Li Sen naturally wouldn't go against Yang Ling's words. He immediately bowed and ordered his personal guards to bring Registrar Li to transport the grain.
After the rations arrived, Yan Gaocai accompanied Yang Ling and the other officials to visit the tents set up for the disaster relief. Most of the victims were gathered in the spacious areas of the City God Temple, the Water Dragon Temple, and the Grain-Sunning Grounds. The victims had only escaped for a few days, and the weather was not cold at the moment, so even though they were unkempt, they still looked well.
However, these people all had a wooden expression and indifferent eyes. They watched as the county magistrate bustled about, hurriedly ordering people to cook porridge and ask about the people's well-being. However, they didn't have the slightest hint of gratitude or closeness. They even kept a respectful distance from this large group of high-ranking officials.
Imperial Envoy Su unhappily reprimanded in a low voice, "The people here are really stubborn and mischievous. A county magistrate is running around to prepare food for them. The imperial envoy has personally come to visit, but they are so ungrateful and unreasonable."
"When we get to the bottom of it, who is feeding who? Who should be grateful? "Yang Ling heard this, but he only slightly shook his head and didn't say anything.
At this time, a young man held a big bowl and asked the yamen runner to fill it with porridge. He nodded and bowed as he said, "Thank you, sir." Before his voice died away, a man in a rough robe beside him took the bowl and dragged him away by the wrist.
As the man walked, he fiercely scolded, "Little bastard, what are you thanking me for? If it weren't for these people tolerating evil and conniving at the lawlessness, would our house have been burned down? Would your cousin's family have been killed? They gave you a bowl of porridge, why are you thanking them? They gave you a piece of meat, but they didn't appreciate it. Bah! "
The man spoke as he walked. His voice wasn't loud, but the officials beside Yang Ling all heard him clearly.
"This bold and unruly person …" Feng Jianchun shouted.
"Magistrate Feng …" Yang Ling lazily called out.
"This lowly official is here." Feng Jianchun hurriedly lowered his hand and said softly.
Yang Ling didn't say anything else. He just slowly walked forward. As the grain carts were transported, he silently watched Magistrate Yan, the county magistrate, the registrar, and the three teams of bailiffs who were working harder than anyone else to distribute the grain.
After walking around the disaster relief sites and finally coming out of the grain-sunning fields, he estimated that there were around thirty thousand refugees. Many of them were injured. Yang Ling walked to a wooden bridge. The bridge was filled with clear water, and the lush water plants gently rippled in the flowing water. A few small streams flowed from the side and merged into the clear river.
Yang Ling stared at the water for a long time. All the officials gathered around him and stood silently to the side. Yang Ling raised his head and looked at the desolate streets. He then moved to the left of the road to the blackened and broken walls that had just been burned by the fire. He said to the civil and military officials around him, "Sirs, I serve in the inner factory. The inner factory is the left sentry army of the Shenji Battalion. I have fought in Jiangnan. My main force is twenty thousand elites that I personally trained in battle. A yamen, an army, or even a country, there will always be a mainstream and a tributary.
If you want peace, you can only work hard to bring the tributary to the mainstream. If you compromise the tributary by harming the mainstream, the mainstream will lose its cohesiveness and loyalty. Then where will the tributary go? Guarding the western frontier with etiquette and comforting the distant is the national policy of the Ming Dynasty. Suppressing with force and intimidating with force has never been the true character of us Han people.
But there is one thing: to ensure that they are not bullied by the big tribes, to set up local officials to govern the barbarians, to prioritize relief in times of disaster, these are all acceptable. But in court politics, law, economy, education, they must not be allowed to break away from the existence of Ming Destiny and place the tribe's authority above the court. Otherwise, it will only be a deliberate reminder that they are superior to the Han people and should not mix with them. At the same time, it will make the Han people hate them and hate them. They can't wait for them to not live with them. How can they be at peace like this?
A hundred rivers converge into the sea, this is the trend of the times. Artificially creating a clear division will only lead to the final collapse. This is a lesson. This kind of lesson has never disappeared in the hundreds of years of conflict. Unfortunately, no one has ever paid attention to it.
Confucius said: Those who have a country and a family do not worry about scarcity but about inequality. They do not worry about poverty but about insecurity. There is no poverty in all, no widows in harmony, no corruption in peace. Then everyone, what about fairness? How can there be peace if it is not fair? Only by not discriminating or condoning any tribe can everyone live in peace and be as close as a family. Let them feel that they belong to the same country, share common interests, bear common responsibilities, and feel a sense of belonging as the people of Ming Destiny. I hope that we can work together to solve this problem, once and for all, and bring happiness to the people. "
His gaze swept across the faces of the officials. Although the officials are silent, what they have seen and heard today has touched them deeply, so no one spoke up.
Yang Ling suddenly saw Song Ai and Wu Hanchao standing on the left and right, each with seven or eight guards, scanning the surroundings cautiously. He could not help but feel a warmth in his heart.
Song Ai is also a chieftain, and there is also Tuoba Yanran, the daughter of the Tibetan chieftain Tuoba Yu. One of them has a close relationship with the King of Shu, and they are on good terms with each other. The other not only has a good relationship with the Han people, but has also undertaken duties for the court. He has made many contributions to the Jiangnan Pirates, and is respected and welcomed by the people of Jiangnan.
It can be seen that as long as their relationship is handled well, they will be as close as brothers with the Han people, and have the same understanding of the court. And the Shu officials have adopted a very inappropriate policy towards the Barbarians, who are too exclusive, resulting in such a bad outcome.
In fact, do the Han people think that the barbarians are stupid, and look down on them or even bully them? There must be, and there are many of them. Little Wu's father is so opposed to his son interacting with Xiao Ai, it is possible that he does not have this mentality.
It was the same as the discrimination between the rich and the poor, the discrimination between scholars and merchants, and so on. To completely solve this problem, it was not something that could be done in a day. Perhaps it would take a long time, but at least some effort could be made to weaken this kind of contradiction. At the very least, it would not lead to war. Then, there would be hope to eliminate it.
These days, from all kinds of news from Liu Biao, Yang Ling knew that some other tribes are also ready to make trouble, but unlike the aggressive and exclusive Barbarians, the ordinary people of those tribes get along better with the Han people, and are willing to interact.
On the contrary, it was those high ranking chieftains and tribal chiefs who were worried that as they gradually increased their interactions with the Han people, their authority over the lives and deaths of those semi-slave tribesmen would be weakened. Therefore, even though the imperial court was extremely generous and generous to them, bestowing them with the treatment of nobles, they still racked their brains to create trouble and expel the Han people.
But because their people frequently interact with the Han people, and are friendly with each other, their rebellion lacks the support of the masses, so it is much more difficult to create trouble. So they pin their hopes on the rebellion of the Barbarians, hoping to take advantage of the situation, and use the matter of the Barbarians to put pressure on the court, and ask for greater power and benefits.
The Barbarians are a small chess piece, but behind them affect the stability of the whole Sichuan, so they have to be very careful. Thinking of this, Yang Ling secretly sighed: it is easy to start a war, but difficult to turn a jade into silk.
※ ※ ※
Back at the camp, Yang Ling summoned Yan Gaocai alone. With his hands behind his back, Yang Ling looked at the topographic map of Xuzhou hanging on the wall, and said without turning his head: "Lord Yan, after listening to your Eight Strategies to Pacify the Barbarians today, I have benefited a lot. It seems that although you are a special county magistrate here, because of the special situation, there are no political achievements, but you have not done nothing. In your heart, you still have a lot of thoughts for the court. "
Yan Gaocai knew that Yang Ling deliberately called him over, of course, not to praise him, so he just listened quietly.
Yang Ling said: "In my opinion, the Barbarians are used to being arrogant. If they do not suffer some losses, they will certainly not lower their heads and admit defeat. After seven days, the Barbarians will not release the Crown Prince as promised, and take the initiative to surrender. This rebellion can only be quelled by force. What the officials in Sichuan are most worried about is the safety of the Crown Prince, but after thinking about it, I think … they may not kill the Crown Prince. "
"Oh? How can you be so sure? "
"It is because of the Han people." Yang Ling smiled and turned around, returning to the table and sitting down. He pushed his glass at him and said, "According to the information I received, there were Han refugees, bandits, and military criminals who escaped into the Barbarian's territory a long time ago and submitted to them.
Although the Barbarians are brave and good at fighting, especially in the jungles and mountains, they are like fish in water. But in the end, they are ignorant and backward, and lack scheming. When fighting a war, they are also straightforward and do not know how to trick people into surrendering. During the reign of Chenghua, the imperial court sent troops to recruit the barbarians. Nearly three hundred tribal chiefs were killed by that stupid imperial messenger. After that, the barbarians actually set up an ambush, and then pretended to surrender to the Guizhou commandant, killing more than five thousand people. It was a ploy by the Han people. "
"I am sure that they will not kill the Crown Prince because of the existence of these people. In the eyes of the Barbarians, since they cannot use the Crown Prince to threaten us, he has lost any value, and it is very likely that they will kill him to vent their anger. But those Han people must know that a living Crown Prince is better than a hundred dead Crown Princes, and they will not be satisfied, so they will definitely dissuade the Barbarian chiefs. "
Yan Gaocai frowned: "In this way, will we still have to be cautious and not be able to do our best?"
Yang Ling shook his head: "Not so. We cannot agree to their conditions for the Crown Prince and encourage their rebellious ambitions, so we can only act decisively. You know about the Seven Captures of Meng Huo, right? If the Barbarians are completely subdued, it will be very difficult for them to rebel again.
The Barbarians run amok and repeatedly rebel, causing the surrounding people to suffer unspeakably. It is because the court's regular encirclement and suppression has mostly ended in failure that they have nothing to fear. We must let them know that the court's army cannot be defeated, and when there is no other way, they can only choose to surrender. That may be the only way to save the Crown Prince's life. "
Yan Gaocai nodded his head thoughtfully. Yang Ling continued: "You are the most familiar with the local area. I am about to use my troops, do you have any good plans to offer? If it can be used properly, it may have a miraculous effect and reduce the number of casualties among the soldiers. "
Yan Gaocai smiled: "Every time this lowly official suffers from vexation and ends a case of vexation, I will return to the rear residence and give them a good scolding. I also often imagine that the court's army can suppress their arrogance, so I have thought of some ideas.
Daren's military skills are divine, and you are invincible, but this lowly official does not know how to use troops at all. I have only come up with some ideas based on the Barbarians' situation and the people's feelings, but I do not know if it will be of use to Daren. "
Yang Ling happily said: "This is exactly what I lack. Whether it is right or wrong, it does not matter. We are only discussing in private, and not discussing military affairs inside the Marshal's tent. Official Yan can speak freely."
Yan Gaocai cupped his fists and said: "This lowly official obeys." He took a deep breath and habitually narrowed his eyes. In Yang Ling's eyes, his expression looked a little sinister.
"Daren, during the reign of Chenghua, the court once sent out 200,000 troops, but they could not do anything to them. Is it because they are weaker than them? If not, it is because the place they are entrenched in is extremely dangerous, and the dangerous strongholds are mutually supporting each other, so the court's army cannot enter. They clearly have the advantage in military strength, but in the maze of the mountains, they are unable to display their strengths. On the contrary, they are restricted everywhere, which led to their defeat. This lowly official has racked my brains and come up with a few plans. I would like to ask Daren to consider them and see if they can be used. "
Yang Ling's spirits were lifted. He walked back to the table and picked up his pen, saying: "Speak, I will note it down."
Yan Gaocai muttered: "First, organize the local Han, Miao, Yi, and Qiang people to migrate and organize the strong people. Not only are they familiar with the terrain and the Barbarians, but they have also been oppressed by the Barbarians before. With the court's army's support, they will definitely participate. With the help of these locals, the army can reduce the risk of getting lost and suffering from the poisonous fog and miasma, and the Barbarians can use their geographical advantage to reduce by half. "
Yang Ling nodded: "Hmm, this is a good plan, I will note it down."
As Yang Ling noted it down, he thought to himself: "This plan, I have thought hard about the bandit suppression movies I watched years ago before I thought of making full use of the local people. Although this person is a two-rank Jinshi, suffering in this small county for two years is not without benefits. At least he is not like those Imperial Censors who talk big, and is very practical. "
Yan Gaocai continued: "Second, the people left in the villages are the Barbarians' old and young, many of them are their spies, and every time the court encircles and suppresses them, they will secretly transport food and vegetables up the mountain, so that they have nothing to fear. If we want to completely defeat this group of rebels, we will have to cut off their reinforcements … then the Barbarians and their advantage will be gone."
When he mentioned cutting off their reinforcements, he deliberately dragged out his words. Yang Ling could hear the smell of blood in his words, and his heart couldn't help but shiver. From a military point of view, Yan Gaocai was not wrong. With these people leaking information and transporting food and fodder right under his nose, the Barbarians could defend themselves for eight to ten years without a problem.
Naturally, Yang Ling would not talk about 'benevolence' in the cold and merciless battlefield, and learn from Song Xianggong, who was once described as a 'stupid military strategist' by the great leader. Moreover, in a sense, these old and weak people were equivalent to the Barbarians' scouts and soldiers. They were all soldiers, but after all, they were defenseless old and weak people. Must we use this method?
More importantly … I want to conquer their ambitions, so that they will no longer cause trouble, and bring them under the jurisdiction of the court's legal system. I don't want to exterminate them. If I use this evil plan, will the Barbarians still be willing to surrender?
Yang Ling suddenly remembered that in his later memories, there was no such ethnic group as the Barbarians, and the special funeral ceremony of the Barbarians and the hanging coffins were also known as a mysterious existence. Then in history, this ethnic group should have been extinct a long time ago. In the history that was affected by his arrival, was it because of their barbarism and arrogance that they exhausted the patience of the court, and finally led to the fate of extinction?
Today, I am leading the army to encircle and suppress the Barbarians. I can't use such cruel methods to force them to a dead end. This ethnic group that should have been annihilated in the long river of history, let me continue it.
Yang Ling noted this point, and drew a long horizontal line below it. Without batting an eyelid, he said, "Continue."
"Third, the location where the rebellious barbarians are hiding is dangerous, with high mountains and dense forests. The power of swords and spears is not great, and cannons are difficult to be effective. However, although I don't study the art of war, I know the principle of using water in low-lying areas and fire in the forest. One is blazing fire, and the other is poisonous smoke. If these two are used well, they will have a miraculous effect."
Great minds think alike! In his heart, Yang Ling was delighted. In the past, even an army of 200,000 could not achieve victory in quelling a rebellion. He only led 70,000 soldiers, on what basis did he have the ambition to take down the Barbarians? From the beginning, Yang Ling had never thought of using conventional tactics against this uncanny natural stronghold. Using manpower to resist the natural stronghold was really a bad plan. Using smoke and fire to break the natural stronghold, causing the Barbarians to lose their support. It would be much easier to deal with the rebellion of this extremely poorly equipped Barbarian army.
Yan Gaocai saw Yang Ling nodding his head repeatedly, his expression happy, and could not help but be greatly encouraged. He said, "Fourth, I have many soldiers, the mountain road is rugged, and there is no use at all. Why don't we advance separately, and take down the stronghold one by one. The smaller stronghold can be taken first, and then the larger stronghold will be isolated and easy to break."
Yang Ling put down his brush and said with a smile, "Wonderful! This official has the same intention. I have observed the strategic passes that the Barbarians are defending, and I believe that in order to completely defeat the Barbarians, we must break through Nine Threads City. In order to break through Nine Threads City, we must break through Ling Xiao City. In order to break through Ling Xiao City, we must clip their wings. We must first clear the outer perimeter, break through Feng Wang Mountain, Dudu Stronghold, and other strategic points. Step by step, we must force them to concentrate and force them to fight.
Hearing this, Yan Gaocai raised his head and repeatedly searched the map, carefully thinking about it. After a long time, he was startled and said, "Daren is wise. In the past, when we used troops, the officers and soldiers were often attacked from the front and rear, and were restrained everywhere. This is precisely the reason why the periphery is not peaceful. This is a brilliant move!"
Yang Ling shook his head and sighed, "It can't be said to be brilliant. This official came up with this move after looking through the files of previous raids and carefully analyzing the reasons for their failure. Speaking of which, it is because of their failure that I know how to avoid the same failure."
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He stretched his body and said, "With these four strategies and my own ideas, our chances of winning have increased by a few notches. Sir Yan, your strategy is very good. In my opinion, it can reduce the losses of our troops by at least thirty percent. It is a great contribution."
Yan Gaocai stammered, "Daren, this lowly official has not finished."
"Ah? Also, quickly say it! "Yang Ling was greatly surprised and hurriedly urged.
Yan Gaocai walked to his table, grabbed a cup and drank a mouthful of tea. With a strange expression, he said, "This lowly official is presumptuous. I think Daren has considered everything, but you have forgotten one point. But this point is very important."
Yang Ling was moved, "What is it?"
Yan Gaocai said, "Morale! Morale! "
Yang Ling couldn't help but be speechless.
Yan Gaocai said, "The soldiers of the Wei Suo are tired of being soldiers and are tired of fighting. Moreover, the soldiers of the Wei Suo have very little training and are weaker than the people of some places. Now that they have come to such a steep mountain, and they have long heard that these barbarians have rebelled and defeated the 200,000 strong army of the imperial court, how many soldiers still dare to fight and want to fight?"
Yang Ling sucked in a breath of cold air. This point was indeed the most important. In war, all conditions were important, but the most important was still the people. If these soldiers had no desire to fight, even if they invited Zhuge Liang to come up with a hundred brilliant strategies, what use would it be?
And because Yang Ling had come from the modern era, he was too used to obeying orders in the army. He would often inadvertently forget the most important point of a commander. Only after Yan Gaocai's reminder did he suddenly realize: These soldiers were not trained by him, and these soldiers were not trusted aides that Li Sen could command as if they were his own arms. How much battle power could this twisted dough army that had been transferred from the various prefectures and counties be able to display in a real battle?
When Yang Ling thought of this, he solemnly stood up and bowed deeply to Yan Gaocai. He said, "This official has just come to the southwest and has truly forgotten that this army is not the valiant and skilled soldiers of the north, nor are they the elite soldiers of Jiangnan that I have personally trained. As a result, I took it for granted that they would be able to completely carry out my orders and made a huge mistake that would lead to a crushing defeat. Yang Ling thanks Daren Yan for your guidance. "
He was a dignified imperial envoy, and the Marquis Weiwu was treating him with such courtesy. Yan Gaocai felt a great sense of familiarity and hastily returned the courtesy. "I don't dare, I don't dare. I receive the salary of the court and should share the burden of the court. For Daren to treat me with such courtesy and kindness truly makes this lowly official fearful."
Yang Ling smiled slightly. "What is there to be fearful of? Daren Yan truly has genuine ability and genuine learning. It is difficult for you to realize your lofty aspirations and truly a pearl covered in dust. Once the matter of suppressing the rebellion is over, this official still has an important task to entrust to you. "
Success, a noble person would not easily comply. As soon as Yang Ling said these words, Yan Gaocai knew that he was backed by Mount Tai and facing the vast ocean. His future was boundless.
He cheerfully thanked Yang Ling and said, "The great battle is imminent. It is simply too late to train the army's morale and morale. We must quickly gather the morale of the army and the courage to face battle. At this extraordinary moment, we can only use extraordinary methods."
He licked his lips and said word by word, "The first is the cruel method. Those who retreat without permission will be killed without mercy!"
Yang Ling nodded. "That should be the case!"
Yan Gaocai continued, "As for the second … everything obtained by the soldiers from attacking the barbarians will all belong to them. There is no need to hand it over."
"Hmm …?" Yang Ling glanced at Yan Gaocai. "Scholars seem to know the principle that humans die for wealth and birds die for food. I remember that the famous general Zhou Peigong used this method to turn a group of lazy servants into an invincible suicide squad in just a few days."
Extraordinary times required extraordinary methods. By the time of Napoleon, the level of education of the soldiers was quite high. The British and French still fought and robbed along the way. What kind of awareness could the soldiers of today be expected to have?
Yang Ling sighed and slowly nodded. "This … is also possible."
"This last strategy … is not for this battle, but for a truce after this battle." Yan Gaocai had already considered himself to be Yang Ling's advisor, so he spoke without reservation.
As an advisor, one must display one's strengths and come up with all the ideas one can think of. As for whether the general will use it or not, it is not within the scope of one's consideration. If one as an advisor has to be overcautious when coming up with a strategy, weighing the pros and cons, my strategy will leave an impression of benevolence in the eyes of the superior. My strategy will make the superior feel that I am sinister and cunning, and it will be difficult for him to display his strengths. No one who can be a general is a fool. If one cannot think what the superior cannot and think what he cannot, how can he put you in an important position?
Yan Gaocai smiled and said, "I heard that when you were inspecting the northwest, the Emperor gave you special privileges to mobilize the soldiers within the three divisions at any time. You also have the right to conscript the Wolf Soldiers?"
Yang Ling's heart jumped. "Could it be that he saw through the hidden 2,000 Wolf Soldiers of Song Ai in our army? How is this possible? Even if he is highly talented, he can't be this high? Isn't this the living Marquis Zhuge Wuhou? "
Yang Ling was startled and replied, "Exactly, how about it?"
"Then it's done." Yan Gaocai happily said, "Can Daren immediately give the order to conscript the Qiang, Yi, Miao, Tibetan, Hui and Tu tribes' Wolf Soldiers. There is no need for too many, just 200 to 300 from each tribe will do."
Yang Ling hesitated and said, "In such a short time, I am afraid they will not be able to find more. But if it is too little … this small number of people will not be of much use. Moreover, some of these tribe chiefs are loyal to the court, some are half-hearted and are watching from the sidelines, hoping to reap some benefits. If we ask him to send people, I am afraid he will not send his warriors."
Yan Gaocai smiled and said, "It is not important whether they are warriors or not. Even if it is a group of women and children, it does not matter. As long as he sends people to assist in suppressing the rebellion, that is enough."
"Ah!" Yang Ling was enlightened and could not help but feel enlightened. He thought, "The six main tribes of Shu are all included. The important thing is not how effective they are in this battle. Even if they send out troops symbolically, to themselves, to the dozens of small tribes, to the Du Barbarian, it will all have different meanings.
This plan is not only focused on the battle of Xuzhou, but also on the long-term stability of the entire Shu, and on the tribe chiefs who have ambitions to become independent. This Yan Gaocai is a bit like the scoundrel strategist Jia Wenhe in the Three Kingdoms. What a good plan to kill three birds with one stone! "
Yang Ling hurriedly said, "Good idea. I will immediately pass down the command arrow and order each tribe to send their Wolf Soldiers to assist in the battle within seven days. All of your plans are very good, only the second one needs further discussion. "
Yang Ling said, "Cutting off the enemy's reinforcements and eyes and ears must not be used such a cruel method. Moreover, by doing so, the rebels in the mountains will hate the court even more, and it will not be beneficial to the situation in Xuzhou after suppressing the rebellion. I have a plan that will not only achieve the goal you mentioned, but also avoid these two future troubles. It can also settle the homeless refugees, and at the same time, it will have the effect of assimilating them. What do you think? "
Yan Gaocai was surprised and said, "Sir, please speak, I am all ears."
Yang Ling said, "The court must not infringe on the barbarian villages, the old and the young, their personal property. At the same time, I will take advantage of these few days to order the soldiers to help move the refugees to the Barbarian villages and help them build houses and cultivate the land. There is a lot of wilderness here, it will be easy for each family to clear out one or two mu of land, so that they can live in peace.
At the same time, the government will set up Bao Jia and Village Guards in each village to maintain local law and order. On one hand, it will prevent the commoners from seeking revenge, and on the other hand, it will be able to monitor them and prevent people with bad intentions from going up the mountain to deliver food and letters.
This is only a temporary measure. After suppressing the rebellion, I still want to act according to the local conditions, appoint elders from the Barbarian Masters and other tribes to educate and pacify the local area. At the same time, the court will set up a mobile yamen. If there are any cases of quarreling, murder or robbery, etc., the yamen will send people to the village to try the case in public. I will ask the Bao Jia and the elders of the village to listen to the case. It must be fair, honest and impartial. In this way, I believe that in a year and a half, the local law and order will be greatly improved. Of course, these are only preliminary ideas, I have not thought through it completely. Hehe, I am only revealing it to you now. "
Yan Gaocai's eyes shone and he said, "This method is indeed much more brilliant than my idea, I am full of admiration! Sir is really … talented. "
Yang Ling laughed and did not say anything. This kind of Bao Jia system, mobilizing the people in the village, public trial, and deterrence of lawbreakers has been used many times in later generations. The effect ~ ~ ~ is indeed not bad.
Moreover, treating the old, young, women, and children fairly and kindly can reduce the hatred between the two sides. It can even influence a portion of the rebels who have fled into the mountains, greatly benefiting the court's use of troops and recruitment. The only regret is that the court's foundation here is still shallow and the awareness of the Barbarian people is too low. Otherwise, if a group of Barbarian uncles and aunties can be mobilized to shout words in the mountains and engage in psychological warfare, it will definitely have a miraculous effect on dividing the rebels and reducing their fighting spirit.
Yang Ling said, "These are only my preliminary ideas. If it is really implemented, the original system of counties and prefectures and prefectures and prefectures is probably not suitable for this place. These days, I am not only thinking about how to take down these few mountains, but also thinking about the future.
Borrowing your 'Eight Strategies to Pacify the Barbarians', I am prepared to immediately handle the relocation of the people, garrison management, and other matters after quelling the rebellion. If these matters are divided into different yamens, the counties will report according to the rules, and then wait for the superior's reply, which will delay a lot of things.
According to the practice of the court in special areas, when there are special matters, temporary officials such as governors and inspectors can be stationed to control the local military and political affairs. I want to write to the Emperor to set up a Pacifying Barbarians Inspector in the counties near Xuzhou, and unify all military, political, legal, and other important matters. And this person … Sir Yan is unshirkable, I hope you will not decline. "
Yan Gaocai was sincerely convinced by Yang Ling's foresight and decisiveness, but he was also extremely excited by Yang Ling's recognition and ability to put him in an important position. Yan Gaocai stood up and looked at Yang Ling with a flushed face. His eyes were bright, but he could not say a word for a long time.
※ ※ ※
Xuzhou was in urgent action. The court's officers and soldiers helped the people build houses and reclaim the land. This was unprecedented, and the homeless people were surprised. These Wei Suo soldiers were farmers who had been farming for more than a hundred years. They were better at reclaiming land than fighting a war. The people saw the appearance of a new home, and the land in their hands, and their views of the court gradually changed.
While the yamen was moving the people, it also selected the Baojia Li Zheng from the village and selected the young and strong people from the people who followed the rules to form the village regiment. The primary task was to prevent the people from taking revenge on the old and young left behind in the village by the Barbarians. Yan Gaocai was indeed good at managing civil affairs. Coupled with the strong deterrence of the army, no one dared to resist and cause trouble. After a few days of work, it began to take shape.
Seven days later, Ah Da did not send any news.
The imperial envoy Yang Ling beat the drums and gathered the generals, and made himself the commander, commanding the army. Li Sen was the deputy commander, General Li Ze and ten other generals were deputy generals, the administrative envoy Feng, Imperial Messenger Su, and Zhizhou Master Feng were in charge of the branch office, managing the rear. The 70,000 troops gathered outside Xuzhou.
That day, the sun was shining brightly, and there was no sign of an impending war. Yang Ling was wearing an official robe and a jade belt, holding the imperial envoy's seal and imperial sword. Accompanied by the deputy commander Li Sen and the administrative envoy Feng, he stepped onto the temporary platform that was two feet high, ready to take the oath and send out the troops!
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