Taiyuan Prefecture
All the military and political officials looked at the Beijing cavalry with strict orders and strict military appearance, and all felt a sense of awe in their hearts.
Xie Zaiyi was greeted by all the generals and led the 5,000 vanguard cavalry to Taiyuan City in a mighty manner, heading towards the city along the stone-paved streets.
The entire city of Dayuanfu was not only built with high trenches and deep trenches, but the barbicans and city walls inside were also very complicated. There were French cannons set up on the arrow stacks of the parapet wall, and the black muzzles were quite intimidating.
There were soldiers holding flags all around, their armors were bright, and they were holding Yanling knives tightly. They looked a little energetic.
Wang Chengyin looked away from the majestic cavalry and asked Xie Zaiyi, who had a solemn look on his face, and asked with a smile: "I wonder where the general is?"
Jia Heng used the first-class Yongning Marquis to bear the seal of the general who conquered the captives, and controlled the armies in Shanxi and Hebei. He could kill them first and then report them, which can be said to make Wang Chengyin extremely fearful.
Xie Zaiyi said: "It's right behind. The general sent his junior general to lead the troops first. Commander Wang will gather the soldiers later and choose a cavalry to go with the army."
When Wang Chengyin heard this, his expression changed slightly and he said: "The army still has the important task of guarding Taiyuan. If we deploy soldiers like this, the Taiyuan military town will inevitably be empty."
The Beijing camp army almost brought a lot of elites this time, so how could they still use the soldiers and horses from Taiyuan Town?
Xie Zaiyi whispered: "Deploy some troops and horses, and join forces to attack. This is the general's order. The country raises troops for a thousand days and deploys troops for a while. Commander Wang, now is the time to deploy troops."
Wang Chengyin's face looked a little ugly, but he could only bite the bullet and looked at the deputy commander Shang Zhonggang on the side and said: "General Shang, go and select the roster."
Shang Zhonggang responded with his hand, and then went to the government office nearby to prepare troops.
At this time, Governor Gu Binghe glanced at Wang Chengyin, put down the tea cup in his hand, and said: "General Xie, I have just discussed the supply of military rations with Mr. Luo. In terms of military rations, the general does not need to worry."
This Futai was a standard civil servant. He was in his early fifties and had a shrewd smile in his small eyes.
Xie Zaiyi did not dare to neglect and said: "The vassal treasury has prepared provisions for January in advance, and the imperial household department will send important personnel to raise military rations."
For this war, the Ministry of Household Affairs prepared two things: part of the military rations were transferred, and part of them was prepared to buy grains. However, the price of rice shops in Jin Province had already increased in response to the announcement of the military expedition to the north.
But because it was not sure how the imperial court transferred grain, the increase was not that exaggerated.
After Xie Zaiyi left, Governor Gu Binghe and Chief Envoy Luo Jingwen also went to raise grain and fodder, leaving only Wang Chengyin and Xiang Bin.
Wang Chengyin said: "Xiang Dushuai, this man named Xie wants to select elite cavalry to assist in military affairs. What should we do?"
Xiang Bin pondered and said: "Master Wang has a cavalry of six thousand men. They are all elites who can equal one to ten. They can be drawn out and sent to Datong for his dispatch."
Previously, Wang Shuirong from Beijing went to Taiyuan to inspect the troops, and Wang Chengyin used this to play Dong Zhuo's Xiliang cavalry trick of concealing the truth.
Wang Chengyin said: "Jurchens are not easy to deal with. Taiyuan only has such a small amount of wealth. If the trouble is gone, I am the foundation of my life. How can you and I sit firmly in this land of Jinzhong?"
It's not that Wang Chengyin wants to support his troops and respect himself, but he must have an elite army in hand to show off his appearance, and the court must be wary of reducing power.
Xiang Bin shook his head, his face showed solemnity, and said: "This is not easy to handle. Now the Beijing army has entered the city. Lord Cai Wang has also seen it. The army is majestic and can be a powerful force. The general who conquered the captives heard that It’s not easy to get along with either.”
Wang Chengyin's face was as gloomy as ice and he said: "Shuai Xiang, once the court knew about it, Marquis Yongning killed countless generals when he was reorganizing the capital camp."
It can be said that the career path of Jia Heng, a Wuhou, was also studied by Wang Chengyin, who organized the army with an iron fist in the capital camp.
Xiang Binnong frowned and said: "What General Wang said makes no sense. The last general is working in the capital, and the soldiers he ordered can't reach the guard posts. I don't know what General Wang is worried about."
"Last time King Beijing came to inspect the troops, Xiang Dushuai..." Wang Chengyin asked.
Xiang Bin's face darkened, he interrupted Wang Chengyin and said, "General Wang."
"Now you and I are grasshoppers tied on a rope." Wang Chengyin smiled, looked at Xiang Bin, and whispered.
Just seeing Xie Zaiyi's 5,000 cavalry troops, Wang Chengyin had an unpleasant feeling in his heart. There were 50,000 or 60,000 soldiers behind them. Once the Marquis of Yongning came and proposed to inspect the troops and horses of Taiyuan Army Town, he discovered that the soldiers The forehead is uneven, taking the opportunity to have an attack?
In fact, the political sense of these generals who guard one side is indeed extraordinary. They have already begun to be vigilant when they see trouble.
Xiang Bin stared at Wang Chengyin with an unkind look and said, "Commander Wang must be in a state of panic. This time the Beijing camp is moving troops north to intervene in the Mongolian war. This is not to organize border affairs."
"We have to be careful. This Yongning Marquis is here today, but he has killed many of his colleagues." Wang Chengyin said with sadness.
He has no good method now. This special girl named Jia brought an army of 60,000 people.
Just when Jia Heng led his troops to Taiyuan Military Town.
On the other side, Jia Heng also gradually approached the Taiyuan Military Town. A map hung on the wooden board depicting the border defense situation between Mongolia, Jurchens and Han Dynasties.
In addition to Chen Xiao, there are also Song Yuan, Fan Yi, Pang Shili, Qi Jianhui, Xie Jing and other generals from the Beijing camp.
Jia Fang stood outside the military tent, guarding the surroundings. Not far away stood a handsome flag officer, Liu Xianglian.
Jia Heng said: "Once our army reaches Datong, the Jurchens will definitely take action to contain our army from heading north. Ping'an Prefecture is the flank of Datong and is also under the Jurchen offensive."
"Commander Jie, can Peiping send a team of elite cavalry out of the fortress to contain the Jurchens?" At this time, General Xie Jing said.
Jia Heng said: "Beiping has no way to go out, and the Jurchens must have soldiers and horses to guard against it. Among the troops in Peiping, there is not enough combat power to go out to deal with the Jurchen elites, unless the Beijing camp divides its troops, but the Beijing camp cannot divide its troops at the moment."
Today's strategy is still to defend from the east and attack from the west, that is, on the battlefields on the eastern front, such as Beiping and Xuanfu (Zhangjiakou), as long as they can resist the Jurchen invasion, it will be a great achievement.
Datong and Shuozhou in the west are the focus of defense.
Because once there were losses in Datong and Taiyuan, the shock to the court would be greater.
This is a political account.
In other words, no matter how fierce the war is in Beiping, as long as Beiping does not fall and no matter how fierce the war is in Yanzhao, the civil and military officials in the imperial court will not feel that the sky is falling and the earth is falling.
But Datong and Ping'an Prefecture cannot. They are the horns of each other. Once there is a loss, Taiyuan will be threatened, and the door to the northwest will be completely opened by the Jurchens.
Shenjing will be shaken, and there will be calls to move the capital.
Chang'an's first line of defense is Datong and Ping'an Prefecture (Shuozhou). In the past, it was precisely because of the Pingfan of Chahar Mongolia that it was not attacked.
This is also the purpose of assisting Chahar Mongolia before, because after the Jurchens annexed Mongolia, Datong and Ping'an Prefecture would never be able to hold on.
The second line of defense is Yulin and Taiyuan.
"Now the 60,000-strong army will rest in Taiyuan first and mobilize the elite from Taiyuan." Jia Heng said solemnly.
His plan was to vacate the cage and change the bird. He would first leave Wang Chengyin's elite men beside him and rush to Datong, and then leave a group of people to wait for the Beijing infantry to respond, and began to organize border affairs and investigate Shanxi merchants.
The whole thing is a grand gesture, not to mention a mutiny.
Mutiny means that he took a few people to Taiyuan Prefecture to push too hard, but now that he has the elite of the Beijing camp, where can he mutiny?
All the generals responded and said yes.
After giving instructions on the order of advance, Jia Heng looked at Pang Shili aside and said, "General Pang, early tomorrow morning, you will lead five thousand cavalry troops to take a shortcut to Datong to meet the army."
Pang Shili said: "Yes, Jieshuai."
After Pang Shili left, Chen Xiao looked at the young man and said softly: "You are preventing Datong from being invaded."
"Some people in Datong will also inquire about the movements in Taiyuan. If you are detained in Taiyuan for too long, Datong will be aware of it. Datong will also have troops to respond, and the Jurchens may also take action." Jia Heng road.
Chen Xiao said: "I don't know any news from the grassland either."
Jia Heng said: "Let's be ready first. Yesterday I asked Fei Ge from Jinyi Mansion to pass a message. If Ezhe is willing, he can lead his troops to the Datong front."
Chen Xiao said: "Those Hongyi cannons want to be effective on the grassland, but I'm afraid they won't work. The main thing is to defend the city."
Jia Heng nodded and said: "The transportation of Hongyi artillery is inconvenient and needs to be arranged as soon as possible. However, the fusiliers and musketry team formed can attack the enemy mobilely and will be of great use at critical times."
Although the nearly a hundred flintlock rifles originally obtained from Hao Jing were not many, they were still able to form a battalion of troops when combined with other highly stable fire muskets.
"Is there any news about the Jurchen's troop deployment this time?" Chen Xiao asked.
"We don't know yet. We'll wait for the information from the other side of the grassland." Jia Heng shook his head, with a solemn look in his eyes, and said, "My guess is that the whole country must be outnumbered. This is the Jurchen's battle to rejuvenate the country, and the slave chief must personally lead it." When the soldiers and the Eight Banners are out, I don’t know whether the slave chief is in the west or the east."
So this time he brought out 90% of the cavalry troops in the Beijing camp, plus 60,000 infantry, just to deal with this matter.
Chen Xiao had a look of thoughtfulness on her beautiful face, and whispered: "If we send out troops at the same time..."
"Yes, I am worried now that the Jurchens will annex Mongolia and invade the Han territory, and send troops at the same time. Once they see my army dispatched, they will strike first to contain my Han Dynasty. At that time, it depends on whether the Xuanfu can stop it." Jia Heng Suddenly said.
"Beiping?" Chen Xiao looked at the map not far away and whispered.
Jia Heng nodded and looked in the direction of Xuan Mansion.
…
…
In Taiyuan Mansion, twilight is closing, and the night fills the entire sky. A bright blue moon casts a cold moonlight, shining on the land of Sanjin. It seems that there is a layer of white covering the city and the rows of eaves and eaves. Frost.
The house was brightly lit, and the sound of silk and bamboo orchestral music sounded from the attic of the back house.
The head of the Kang family, Kang Yisheng, was sitting on an imperial chair, dozing off slightly, listening to an opera being performed on a stage not far away.
The song "Wu Song Fights Tiger" was sung. The martial artist was wearing short-sleeved clothes and holding a whistle stick in his hand. He was talking and reciting, and several gongs sounded from time to time around him.
Kang Yisheng's concubine was holding grapes in her hands, looking at them and discussing them secretly.
Kang Yisheng was about fifty years old, with gray hair and rosy cheeks. He closed his eyes slightly at this moment. The concubine Pingniang beside him, who had a better appearance and was only sixteen years old, handed the peeled grapes to Kang Yisheng's mouth.
"Master." At this time, the housekeeper hurriedly approached and whispered a few words in Kang Yisheng's ear.
Kang Yisheng opened his eyes, and a ray of light seemed to shoot out from the sunken eye sockets, and said, "Go and have a look."
The second young master of the Kang family, Kang Zexing, who was listening to opera not far away, put down the wine cup in his hand and said, "Dad."
"Xing'er went to greet his father." Kang Yisheng waved his hand, and the opera suddenly stopped.
The Kang family in Linfen, Pingyang Prefecture, one of the eight merchant families in Shanxi, is the richest family in central Shanxi. They run numerous rice shops. They can be said to be extremely rich. Compared with the other families who only have millions in assets, the Kang family has tens of millions in assets. Since the founding of the Han Dynasty, they have been mainly engaged in traditional businesses such as selling salt and rice grains. When they were smuggled to the Jurchens, their wealth accumulated rapidly.
There are thousands of warehouses, and rice and grain shops are spread all over the land of Sanjin.
The head of the Kang family, Kang Yisheng, and his second son Kang Zexing now live separately in Taiyuan Mansion.
Because Taiyuan Prefecture is the provincial capital, the information is better.
In the hall——
Chief envoy Luo Jingwen and Taiyuan magistrate Jiang Yan were sitting on chairs, not touching the fine West Lake Longjing on the table next to them, with indifferent expressions.
"What kind of wind blew these two adults here?" At this moment, the head of the Kang family, Kang Yisheng, came in from the inner hall with a smile on his face and said: "Some people are not welcomed from afar, and some are not welcomed from afar."
As he spoke, he came closer and bowed.
"The two adults are here late at night. What orders do you have?" Kang Yisheng said.
Chief Envoy Luo Jingwen and Taiyuan Magistrate Jiang Yan looked at each other, smiled, and spoke first: "Mr. Kang, I and Mr. Jiang do not go to the Three Treasures Hall for anything."
Kang Yisheng smiled and waited for his words.
As a subordinate, Jiang Yan took the initiative to take over the conversation and said with a smile: "This is not the imperial court sending a large army to Datong to fight the Jurchens. Now we need to raise military rations. A member of the Ministry of Hubu is on the way and should arrive in the next two days. Taiyuan.”
In fact, Lin Ruhai set off two days earlier than Jia Heng, but because he was riding a carriage and taking a different route, he didn't catch up.
At this moment, the vanguard of the Beijing army arrived in Taiyuan first, and Lin Ruhai had just entered Taiyuan Mansion.
Previously, he did not go directly to Taiyuan Prefecture, but went to the nearby Pingyang Prefecture to find out what the prefect of Pingyang Prefecture planned to do about purchasing grain and recruiting civilians.
It saves effort to raise grain and grass on the spot during the war, unless there is really no other way to go deep into the Western Regions and deserts for transshipment. Jin Province is originally a major grain-producing province. With this condition, most of the military grain must be supplemented.
Kang Yisheng smiled and said: "Two gentlemen, the country has mobilized troops. I, a citizen of Shengdou, have also heard about it. It's a good thing. It's just that Kang doesn't have much. He can barely make ends meet by doing a little business. The army needs food." The amount is huge, but I am afraid that it will be insufficient and the military situation will be delayed."
If he is here to ask for alms, then don't ask for help. His rice and grain shops are not enough to support the war effort.
"The Ministry of Household Affairs is willing to provide money to buy rice grains." Jiang Yan asked.
Hearing this, Kang Yisheng put down the tea cup in his hand and said with a more serious face, "I don't know how big a gap the imperial court needs."
Obviously Jiang Yan is very familiar with the head of the Kang family.
Luo Jingwen frowned secretly and cursed the profiteers for not being able to get up early.
"Nowadays, one month's cavalry army is provided by the imperial court, but then the infantry will go to Taiyuan, and the war will consume a huge amount of rice and food. Mr. Kang needs to raise more, the more the better." Jiang Yan said with a smile on his face. Smiling, he explained.
It is worth mentioning that military supplies during wartime marches are different from normal conditions, and consumption is often higher.
Because after fighting and marching, the physical strength of the generals is huge. People chew and feed horses, which consumes a lot. Just like people who have done farm work, their appetite will definitely increase.
At this time, Luo Jingwen twirled his beard under his chin with his hand, and said with a faint expression on his slightly chubby face: "If we consider it as a generous situation, the three-month military ration reserve is estimated to cost three million dan."
Generally speaking, when a country deploys troops, March is the regular cycle. However, Jia Heng's 60,000 cavalry army collected 400,000 shi of food a month, plus the subsequent 60,000 infantry, which also required 400,000 shi, that is, 2.4 million shi.
This does not include the usual consumption of fish, fruits, vegetables and other non-staple foods, as well as the consumption of salt. This is why the war is very expensive.
"Two adults, three million stones is not a small amount. I need to coordinate with several friends to raise it. I just wonder at what price the court is willing to buy rice grains?" Kang Yisheng's eyes flashed and he asked again.
Three million shi of grain, this is a big deal. If converted into grain, it would be three million taels. If the price of rice doubled, it would be six million taels.
At this time, the price of rice, due to the continuous disasters, was still around one stone of rice and one tael of silver, which was naturally far lower than during the Taizong and Longzhi years.
Jiang Yan smiled and said vaguely: "I can't guarantee this, I can't guarantee it. Let's just buy it at the market price. Mr. Kang is so supportive of military affairs, how can the imperial court treat Mr. Kang badly?"
Kang Yisheng pondered for a moment and said, "Now that the price of food in Taiyuan City has nearly doubled, is the imperial court willing to purchase food at this price?"
"Mr. Kang, the prices of rice and grain in the city are mostly rising now, so naturally the court cannot use this as a basis for grain purchases." Luo Jingwen frowned and reminded.
Kang Yisheng smiled and said: "What Mr. Luo said is that there is not so much rice now, and it has to be purchased from other provinces, which is a huge waste of manpower and material resources. Kang has nothing to say here. , It’s for national affairs, but the guys and laborers under me have to eat.”
They cannot be allowed to save their family and the country.
Luo Jingwen laughed and said, "Mr. Kang just prepares the food and fodder. After Lin Butang comes, we can slowly discuss the purchase price. We can't let the Yishang suffer."
Kang Yisheng cupped his hands and said, "The common people will send people to buy grain and rice to prepare for military needs."
Luo Jingwen and Jiang Yan nodded and left Kang Mansion, preparing to raise other beans, grass bundles, and non-staple food.
After the two of them left, Kang Zexing, the second young master of the Kang family, said in a low voice: "Father, business in the imperial court is not easy to do, and you will often make IOUs."
"The imperial court has expanded its financial resources over the years and has a lot of money on hand. It is not as embarrassed as before. But where does Lin Butang come from?" Kang Yisheng looked at the moonlit Yimen outside, frowned and whispered.
With that said, he walked towards the back house.
Kang Zexing followed, a young man in his late thirties with a calm face, and said: "I heard that he was transferred from Jiangnan. His surname is Lin. He was originally a salt inspector in Yangzhou."
Kang Yisheng pondered for a moment and said: "Yan Xunyan, those eight families in Yangzhou were skinned last year, and this Yongning Marquis is a money-hungry man."
The merchants were well-informed, not to mention the Shanxi merchants who had always regarded Huizhou merchants as their formidable enemies, so they naturally paid attention to what was happening in Jiangnan.
"Father, the eight salt merchants in Yangzhou embezzled the money from the Salt Institute, except for the four smuggling merchants..." Kang Zexing said, his brows furrowed and his heart trembled.
Kang Yisheng sighed and said, "Understood? I'm afraid the person who came here is not good this time."
He colluded with Donglu, and then had four families expropriated, leaving no property at all. Would he not know this?
Also, Lin Butang was the in-law of Jia Heng, Marquis of Yongning. The two of them implemented the new salt method in Southern Province and almost cut off the roots of the Yangzhou group.
Fortunately, we still follow the rules and only seek wealth, not life.
But the Kang family is also engaged in the business of smuggling into the grassland. This matter is big or small. Who knows what the man named Jia thinks?
Kang Zexing looked solemn and said in a low voice: "Nothing happened to the Wang family, Jiang family, and Xiao family. Father must be worrying too much. When the ban was lifted, it was not our family that was responsible for transporting grain and rice to the grassland Mongolia. Mr. Jiang just now Doesn’t the family also have a business?”
"Be careful when sailing for ten thousand years." Kang Yisheng whispered, his eyes flashing coldly, and said: "These people in the public sect will sell us faster than anything else if something happens to them."
"Master Gu..." Kang Zexing's voice became a little lower.
Kang Yisheng said coldly: "It's still unreliable."
So in order not to become a fat pig waiting to be slaughtered in these years, in addition to wooing Wang Chengyin and his subordinates, he also raised hundreds of people under his command, just to be able to fight in emergencies.
…
…
On the grassland, flames were billowing, gunpowder smoke filled the air, and there were bursts of killing sounds and cries.
Accompanied by Han generals Shi Tingzhu, Ma Guangyuan, Wang Shiyuan and Bayan, Dorgon rode on a horse and looked at the flames of war burning in tents in the distance. His horse's hoofs trampled over the crying old Mongolian woman and young son, his face expressionless.
Shi Tingzhu cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, it's almost done."
Dorgon nodded and told a bannerman: "Send someone to inform Samushha and Ye Chen."
The two of them were the commander and deputy commander under Azig.
"Yes, Your Majesty." The elite flagman rode a fast horse to inform the two of them.
Dorgon's eyes were dark and he sneered: "The Sunit tribe was defeated, the soldiers and horses were scattered, and most of them were damaged. Later, we will go to the big tent to discuss matters and lead the troops to force the Keshiketeng tribe to surrender."
"Yes." All the generals said yes, and Wei Guang, the gourd monk with a black mole on his face among the crowd, also agreed, but there was a hint of worry in his eyes.
He's been lurking here for the past few days, and he's been on tenterhooks. Nanfang still wants him to send information.
(End of chapter)
