Before the first month of the second year of Yongning (305), Shao Xun gathered his troops and headed west.
Mi Huang couldn't bear the urging, so he finally took his eldest son Mi Zhi and two hundred members of the Mi clan to the west.
With Luoyang as the center, the east-west roads are roughly divided into "Chenggao Road" (east) and "Xiaohan Road" (west).
The former is a riverside avenue located at the northern foot of Mang Mountain (Mang Mountain) and the south bank of the Yellow River. It is characterized by flat terrain, fast and convenient, and it is very easy to travel to Xingyang and other places.
Chenggao is the most dangerous place on this road. Passes have been built in the nearby dynasties in all dynasties, such as Chenggao Pass, Hulao Pass, Sishui Pass, etc. The locations of the passes may be different, but the core relies on the remnants of the Songshan Mountains and the Yellow River. , built along the mountains and rivers.
The Xiaohan Road is much more difficult and dangerous. After all, it is located in the mountainous area of western Henan and is not very easy to walk.
To be precise, Xiaohan Road is a general term, and it can be subdivided into the eastern half of Xiaoshan Road and the western half of Hangu Road, with Shaanxi County as the dividing point.
Xiaoshan Road can also be divided into two parts: north and south.
The south road has the best traffic conditions and goes along the Luoshui River Valley until it reaches Yiyang, so it is also called "Yiyang Road".
"Since Zhou Dynasty, the post road between Chang'an and Luoyang has not changed much." Mi Huang said to Shao Xun as he walked. From time to time, he turned to look at his eldest son Mi Zhi behind him to see if he was listening.
Mi Zhi came to the mountainous area of western Henan from the coastal plain. It was a bit novel for a while. He stared at the mountains and rivers more often and was taught a lesson by Mi Huang several times.
Shao Xun was actually equally interested.
Leaving Luoyang City and heading west for the first time, he felt the pleasure of opening a new map.
"Mountains and rivers are like this. Even if you want to change their course, you can't do it." Shao Xun said: "I heard that in the 16th year of Jian'an (211), Cao Mengde opened the North Mountain Road in order to conquer Guanzhong. Now there are only two roads, one south and one north. Alright?"
"Yeah." Mi Huang nodded.
Shao Xun thought about it for a while, and he always felt that there was a third way. He had read it in some book in later generations, and it seemed that it was along the south bank of the Yellow River, making a big circle, passing through the "mainstay" place, and going straight to Shaanxi County, but It should be very difficult to walk, there is no hope for vehicles, and it is probably very dangerous for people and horses.
"Yiyang has actually always been under Luoyang's control." In the quiet valley, apart from the sound of troops marching, there was only Mi Huang's iconic drake voice: "Every time the Western troops attack Luoyang, Yiyang will have a war. One time. When Sima Yi was in charge, Huangfu Shang had several battles with Zhang Fang here."
Yiyang is the easternmost county of Hongnong County. Because the South Mountain Road is within its territory, it is very critical. One battle after another is very tragic.
So much so that officials are unwilling to serve here. If they can push, they will push. If they cannot push, they will abandon their positions and leave. Their lives are at stake.
"How many people are there in Yiyang?" Shao Xun looked at the clear and wide Luoshui River and the river valleys and plains on both sides of the river, and said, "There are no people around us along the way. Occasionally, some common people will run away like hiding from the plague when they see us. Fast."
"I don't know either." Mi Huang sighed: "Let's go, Yiyang City is ahead."
Shao Xun nodded, put away a piece of silk with small handwriting written on it, and put it into his arms.
This is the "cheat sheet" prepared by Concubine Pei for him. It records in detail everything about Yiyang extracted from classics such as "Warring States Policy" and "Historical Records" - starting from Han Yi in the Warring States Period to King Qin Wu sending Gan Mao to conquer Han. , and even Nanshan, Yiyang, where Sun Deng, a hermit of this dynasty, lived.
In the future, we will have to dedicate a few people to study these historical materials.
Historical materials are not simply history, sometimes they are also related to military affairs, such as which route the ancients took and why. Is it easy for him to walk this way? What difficulties did you encounter? how is the weather? A bunch of other things, all have reference value.
There is no longer a county magistrate in Yiyang City...
"Welcome to the Lord." Qi Shun, the highest-ranking county magistrate in Yiyang County, bowed and said loudly.
Under his leadership, the officials behind him also stepped forward to salute.
The voice was a bit sparse, because there were not even a few officials.
"Thank you for your hard work, gentlemen." Mi Huang got off his horse, looked at the tattered city wall, and said with emotion: "It's not easy to be an official here, isn't it?"
Qi Shun and others looked at each other, how should they answer this?
Shao Xun chuckled and got off his horse.
The army continued to move forward without stopping, heading towards Yiyang County.
The kingdom's central army originally numbered more than 3,300 people, but in the past few months it had been replenished to 3,600. There were also 3,000 auxiliary troops following behind with the baggage convoy.
Six hundred men from the Silver Spear Army and 200 cavalry from the teaching team also came.
In addition to the 3,000 soldiers from the upper and lower armies of the Royal Army assigned to them, the total number of troops dispatched this time exceeded 10,000. It may be the last battle before the Royal Army is officially reorganized.
"Yiyang is not small. The county magistrate doesn't even want six hundred stones." Shao Xun looked at the small piece of land reclaimed by the city outside the county seat and said with a smile.
Counties in the country are divided into three levels: county magistrates, chiefs, and prime ministers. The eighth rank is equivalent to Shao Xun's current lieutenant Sima.
The rank of each county magistrate is six hundred stones, the seventh rank.
The county magistrates ordered Qianshi, the sixth rank, which was equivalent to the general in the palace that Shao Xun would soon serve as and the generals of the royal army.
It is unscientific to regard county magistrates as petty officials.
The famous Zhonglang General who protected the Huns, Chang Shi, was no more than the magistrate of Zhong County.
The powerful ministers in the shogunate and the consorts of the princesses were no more than magistrates of large counties.
Being able to abandon the county magistrate and run away is enough to illustrate the intensity of the war here.
According to Concubine Pei's cheat sheet, there were more than 3,000 households in Yiyang County's original household register, and they were the standard seventh-grade, six-hundred-stone county magistrates—those with more than a thousand households in the county were all called magistrates, and those with less than a thousand households were called magistrates. If the county happens to be the seat of a state or a county, then a person with more than 500 households can be called a county magistrate.
There are 3,000 households in the household registration, and the actual number may have more than doubled. However, after experiencing the disaster of Zhang Fang, it would be good for the actual population of Yiyang County to be between 1,000 and 2,000 households.
"A long-term official of a hundred miles is an indispensable person who is close to the people." Mi Huang shook his head and said, "I will report to the court and issue a new appointment. You can wait for more than a month."
In fact, the candidate has already been selected. Huangmen Shilang Pan Tao introduced his younger brother Pan Si as the county magistrate. Military Chief Cao Fu had no objection. Mi Huang also agreed and informed Sikong. The following is the process. Wang Yan is not stuck, and he can take office in a month at most.
Shao Xun calculated silently.
The county magistrate has it.
The "Shangzuo" in the county must have also been divided up, and it has nothing to do with him, such as the prime minister, Wei, and Fanglue officials - the county prime minister Qishun was already there.
Among them, the chief ministers and lieutenants in small and medium-sized counties are all ninth-rank officials.
Fanglue officials are not officials and are ranked below the prime ministers and lieutenants. However, the county magistrate has no power to appoint his own officials and is also ranked among the superiors.
In addition to the superior officers, there are also "subordinate officials".
Officials are divided into three categories: "Gangji", "Menxia" and "Zhucao", and there are still dozens of them.
These are not officials, but what people at the time commonly called "county officials." Most of them were reserved for local powerful people - in theory, all official positions in the county were a kind of corvee, without wages, and they worked in vain. Whether it's all in vain depends on your ability.
All subordinate officials are appointed by the county magistrate. This is the key.
Shao Xun was interested in two positions: the chief officer of the thief Cao, the chief officer of the thief Cao, and the chief officer of the soldier Cao, the chief officer of the soldier Cao Cao.
As the name suggests, the thief catches the thieves.
Every one of the fort masters in this group can't get rid of the hat of "thief".
Because they would rob passing merchants, rob people who did not join Wubao, and even other Wubao.
Bingcao is in charge of "the soldiers are conquering and losing".
In previous battles in Luoyang, who sent a large number of county soldiers? In fact, the small officials in the county went to the countryside to recruit soldiers, and then sent them to the Luoyang meat grinder for consumption.
The soldiers are familiar with the people, have friendship with local powerful people, and have good food. They often take away bankers and tribes in batches. Therefore, this position cannot be filled by ordinary people, and one must have a strong social network.
But the ecology of Yiyang County has completely changed.
Many Wubao owners were even small officials in the county. When they saw how serious the war was, they gave up their jobs and returned to their hometowns to gather villagers to farm for self-protection.
Shao Xun doesn't need them to help recruit troops at all, because he has troops...
"Lieutenant..." Shao Xun came up behind Mi Huang and reminded him in a low voice.
"Don't worry, even if the county magistrate doesn't come, we will arrange for you to catch thieves and soldiers first." Mi Huang turned to look at Shao Xun, and after much hesitation, asked: "The Silver Spear Army fought with Zhang Fang, and there are many in Luoyang. As everyone knows, wouldn’t it be bad if he disappeared suddenly?”
"If we can't afford it, we'll be disbanded." Shao Xun said carelessly: "These days, troops are often disbanded. It's normal."
Mi Huang was amused by his shamelessness and asked: "Which forts do you plan to attack?"
"Instead of attacking Wubao, we will attack the bandits' stronghold." Shao Xun said: "The bandit's stronghold has few people and is not as strong as Wubao. Find a few bandits with water and fields, occupy it yourself, and then recruit refugees to colonize it. "
Mi Huang nodded.
Refugees are not a problem. There are now many refugees from Bingzhou around Luoyang, and the number continues to increase.
"But you have to help me convince those Wubao owners, otherwise I'm afraid it will be difficult to raise money and food." Mi Huang said seriously.
"Okay." Shao Xun agreed directly.
You help me and I will help you, this is normal.
Besides, it’s not that the owners of Wubao didn’t pay for the money and food. In fact, they paid it and were even willing to send troops.
The problem is proportion. Mi Huang wants more, so this needs to be discussed.
As for the refugees Shao Xun himself recruited, they mainly raised the Silver Spear Army.
The soldiers of Silver Spear are part-time workers and part-farmers.
In addition, each soldier has five households of refugees who provide financial and food support to minimize the time the Silver Spear Army soldiers spend doing farm work and increase the frequency of training.
Considering that the most expensive weapons and armor have been solved, this system can be maintained, provided there is an official protective umbrella.
To put it bluntly, this is his backup plan in extreme situations. Once the situation changes, he will instantly control the entire Yiyang County and recruit 600 well-trained silver gun soldiers, plus a militia composed of a large number of refugees.
To a certain extent, this is an enhanced version of the beggar army, a force that belongs to him alone.
Before that, he could continue to poach the Jin Dynasty and use his status as a general in the palace to obtain high-quality weapons and armor that were difficult to obtain by the real refugee army.
In short, Mr. Sikongqian asked me to continue to be a thug and not let me go out. I accepted it, but don't blame me for preparing a backup plan.
Furthermore, these days, there are more relatives of officials and generals building forts and entertaining guests. I am not the first, nor the last, so do whatever you like.
After Mi Huang and Shao Xun entered the county government office, they immediately called the county magistrate Qishun to carefully inquire about the local situation.
There is not much time, and it will take a lot of effort to pull out the army, so we must fight quickly.
