Weiyuan Castle under night.
Bowls of piping hot porridge were brought out, with leftover mutton sprinkled on the hot porridge.
Chop the mutton and pour it into the porridge, add a small spoonful of salt and stir well. Then bowls of mutton porridge were brought to the soldiers of Guangrui Army.
The soldiers of Guang Rui took a bite of the porridge with wooden spoons, and then poured it into their stomachs regardless of how hot it was. Some people took out the dry food they brought with them and just chewed the porridge, for fear of eating it too fast and choking on it. gourmet food.
The heavy rain fell heavily, hitting the walls and floor tiles of Weiyuan Castle.
The soldiers squatted in the mud, just holding up their bowls and eating. Bowls of hot mutton porridge were handed to their hands, which instantly warmed their hearts that were cold due to suspicion and desolation.
The soldiers of Guangrui ate the mutton porridge greedily, and several of them held bowls with porridge in their mouths, but they couldn't swallow it, so they couldn't help crying.
A strong wind blew, the bonfire swayed, and after a period of flickering light and dark, Zhang Yue took a deep breath of the cold air.
Zhang Yue, the magistrate of Xizhou, was only in name only, and the only land he controlled was Weiyuan Castle. The center of Xizhou is Lintao City, which is now occupied by Mu Zheng.
There are two roads from Weiyuan Fort to Lintao City. One road goes over Niaoshu Mountain, passes through Qingping Fort, and follows Dongyu Valley to Lintao City. The other road goes through Zhuniuling, along Mobang Mountain and passes through Huichuan City. Lintao.
As long as Lintao City is captured, Zhang Yue can live up to his name and radiate throughout Xizhou.
Now, under Zhiyuan's persuasion, Jiewu Chila has become a naturalized member of the Song Dynasty. As long as Zhang Yue raises his troops to the north, he can attack Jiewu Chila from the north and south at Muzheng under Lintao City, and Xizhou will be defeated in one battle.
The reason why Zhang Yue is not sending troops now is because of supply line problems.
It's nearly two hundred miles from Guwei (Tongyuan Army) to Lintao. Even if we send troops to capture it, we still can't hold it and end up taking advantage of others. Therefore, we must send troops from Weiyuan or Qingping Fort. Only if we capture it can it be included in the governance scope of the Song Dynasty and our dynasty's territory will be officially expanded to Xizhou.
This is also the reason why Zhang Yue built Weiyuan and Qingping Second Fort.
This Qingping Fort was originally called Qishen Ping Fort. It was occupied by the Munrojiao and Moershuiba tribes who were attached to Mu Zheng. Wang Shao led his army to defeat the two tribes and changed its name to Qingping Fort.
Qingping Fort Zhang Yue inspected it and found that the city wall was ready-made and only needed slight repairs.
However, Qingping Fort only has more than 300 steps and cannot accommodate many troops and horses. Zhang Yue plans to wait until Weiyuan Fort is completed, then lead his troops to Qingping Fort and build a 500-step fort.
As long as these two forts are built, troops can be garrisoned here, and grain and grass can be continuously sent to these two forts from the ancient Wei stockade. Only in this way can we attack Lintao City and conquer Mu Zheng.
To be honest, Mu Zheng is really pitiful. He has always been deferential to the Song Dynasty. He is also the governor of Hezhou officially appointed by the government. He is nominally a courtier of the Song Dynasty. He has no enmity or enmity with Zhang Yue. However, these big plans for the imperial court's strategy are not Not worth mentioning.
Because it was difficult to eat salt, Zhang Yue unkindly occupied several salt wells near Weiyuan Fort.
When Mu Zheng found out, he was very angry and sent an envoy to question Zhang Yue, saying that Wang Shao and I made an oath that the Song army would not take the area around Weiyuan City, and they would not farm fields and take salt wells here. Why did you break your promise?
Zhang Yue helplessly spread his hands and said, this is the oath sworn by you Mu Zheng and Wang Shao, what does it have to do with me?
The envoy went back to report with a depressed look on his face, and taught Mu Zheng a proverb that Zhang Yue brought to him: "New officials ignore old accounts."
The next day, more than 3,000 Guangrui troops who set off from Qingzhou arrived at Weiyuan, and in the end there were less than 2,500 people left.
When they arrived at Weiyuan Castle, everyone was in rags, as if they were a group of beggars, and they were no longer the proud Forbidden Army.
Zhang Yue inquired about the situation and found out that they had been rebels. Therefore, the states and counties along the way were very vigilant and stationed them far outside the city. They were not allowed to enter the military camp in the city. As for the provisions, they were not given enough, only one-half or One third like that.
Many people starved to death on the road.
As for their family members who are still on the way from Gyeongju to Qinzhou, why not arrange to go together? Because I have to be a hostage.
Zhang Yue stood at the top of the city, looked at them, and said loudly: "I know you have trekked here from Gyeongju. It has been a hard journey."
, but this is just the beginning, it will be more difficult in the future. "
The drizzle hit the soldiers' heads, but everyone remained silent.
"I have heard about you. You once fought a bloody battle with the elite soldiers of the party at the gate of Dashun City. You couldn't defeat Bu Ba Zi. Even the iron kite couldn't force you to take half a step. You even shot and wounded the puppet leader Li Liang, and beat him badly. One hundred thousand party troops fled!"
"But Wang Wenliang took your merits for himself and pushed all the losses of the defeated army onto you, causing Yu Hou Wu Kui to be imprisoned, and you became rebels."
"For the record, Sheriff, we are not rebels!" a soldier from Guangrui said.
"Not rebels? How can you prove your loyalty?"
The whole place was silent.
Zhang Yue said: "You came to Weiyuan to guard the border. The word "guardian" was regarded as a lowly servant in this dynasty, and it was the return of assassins and desperadoes. There is a saying in the poem, when you went to guard the border, Li Zheng wrapped your heads. Now, When your hair turns gray, you still have to go guard the border, and eventually you die in a foreign country."
"Is it hard to guard the border? It is hard. There are days with no end in sight, only suffering. However, this is where our loyalty lies. We who are guarding the border are by no means cheap servants, nor are we those who assassinate and join the army, but are here to serve The country protects its borders."
"Without our contribution, how could the people in Guanzhong have a comfortable meal?"
After listening to Zhang Yue's words, Sergeant Guang Rui gradually raised his head and his expression became angry.
Zhang Yue said: "Today I have made an agreement with you for two years. After two years, you can go or stay as you see fit. I will never force you to do so, and I will let you off the hook. You can return to Qingzhou or other places if you wish!"
"But now you must prove to me here that you are loyal. This loyalty is not to me, but to the country! Are you willing to clear yourself of the charges? Do you dare to say this? Blood spilled on the ground? Can you follow me to defend the country's borders?"
Countless arms were raised to the sky, and the response was a roar like waves.
"I am willing to follow the governor and defend the country's borders!"
Not only the Guangrui Army, but also the Song Army, which had been following Zhang Yue for a long time, was like this.
"We are not thieves to join the army, but to defend the country's borders. That's right, it was Commander Zhang who said that."
Such words spread among the army.
Immediately, the soldiers of Guangrui Army put on new clothes, wrapped their heads again, and put on Fan Yangli.
The soldiers took over the food and had a hearty meal.
No one said a word, but the silence and calm contained terrible power.
It was already dark now, and the sky was like a big tent covering the land of Weiyuan.
The warm lights extend from the top of Weiyuan Castle to the river bed. Countless lights swaying in the wind stretch across the river valley.
Counting carefully, there were more lights and tents than before.
The Qiang flute sounded resentfully in the river valley, and along with the sound of the rapids, it spread far away.
With the addition of Guang Rui's army, the Song army's power at the source of the Weishui River became stronger.
