Gu Xianxiong frowned slightly after listening to Zhao Gou's words.
Zhao Gou still wanted to destroy Zhao Shan, both inside and outside his words. This would be difficult.
If what happened today had not happened, Gu Xianxiong felt that defeating Zhao Shan would not be a big problem. After all, Zhao Gou had many soldiers and generals, people were united, they all wanted to destroy Zhao Shan, and he had strong combat effectiveness.
Even if all the soldiers spit, they can drown Zhao Shan.
However, during the battle outside Xiazhi County, Gu Xianxiong saw the lethality and combat effectiveness of Modao Camp, and witnessed Zhao Shan's ferocity with his own eyes. For the first time, Gu Xianxiong felt that there was no point in having too many people.
It fell apart as soon as it hit.
Defeated in one rush!
The Yangzhou Army was chased by the Xuanjia Army and Modao Camp. After the battle, the soldiers of the Yangzhou Army were deeply impressed in their minds that Zhao Shan was invincible.
In a head-on fight, no one dared to take advantage of Zhao Shan, and no one dared to confront Zhao Shan.
Seeing that Gu Xianxiong was still silent, Zhao Gou said coldly: "Gu Qing, you are always resourceful, don't you have a solution? This time we fight Zhao Shan, we can only win, not lose."
Gu Xianxiong came to his senses and sighed: "Your Majesty, Zhao Shan is indeed very difficult to deal with."
Zhao Gou snorted and said: "I naturally know that it is difficult to deal with, and difficult to deal with is difficult to deal with, but by destroying Zhao Shan, the benefits we will get are also extremely huge. You can't get huge benefits without paying a price. "
Gu Xianxiong continued: "Your Majesty, I believe that with the current military mentality, it is basically impossible for us to defeat Zhao Shan head-on."
Zhao Gou scolded: "This is nonsense!"
Gu Xianxiong didn't look impatient.
As Zhao Gou's counselor, he has followed Zhao Gou for many years and has long understood Zhao Gou's character.
When things are going smoothly, everything is easy to say and discuss. Once things go wrong and Zhao Gou is unable to complete his mission, he will have another look.
Accompanying you is like accompanying a tiger!
That's it.
Gu Xianxiong has long been used to it.
Gu Xianxiong said calmly: "I think there is only one way to kill Zhao Shan at present."
Zhao Gou suddenly became energetic and asked eagerly: "Gu Qing, what can you do?"
Gu Xianxiong replied: "Pretend to be defeated and lure the enemy deeper."
Zhao Gou was confused when he heard this. He didn't understand what it meant at all. He ordered impatiently: "Don't be pretentious. If you have a strategy, say it directly. Make it clear."
Gu Xianxiong explained: "In view of the result of today's battle with Zhao Shan, all the soldiers in the army have lost their fighting spirit and have lost the courage to fight Zhao Shan head-on. It is understandable that we pretended to be defeated by Zhao Shan. It makes sense both emotionally and rationally.”
"Of course, you can't evacuate directly."
"If we evacuate Xiaji County directly, it would be too obvious and it would be easy for Zhao Shan to see the flaws."
"My suggestion is that we should first garrison troops for defense, and stay in Xiaji County for a short period of time to defend Zhao Shan."
"After defending for a period of time, the king will lead the army to withdraw from Xiaji County, withdraw to our Yangzhou territory, and return to Chaisang Water Village."
Gu Xianxiong said: "This is a strategy to lure the enemy deeper."
Zhao Gou looked dissatisfied and scolded: "You are not luring the enemy, you are giving in and retreating. You said it so fresh and refined, but in fact you retreated directly, and you even lured the enemy deeper."
Gu Xianxiong explained: "Your Majesty, this is to lure the enemy deeper and move the active battlefield to Chaisang. Think about it, near the city of Xiazhi County, the terrain is open, the cavalry is running around, and the Modao camp is killing indiscriminately, which is conducive to Zhao Shan's success." Xuanjia Army and Modao Camp."
"The battlefield has moved to Chaisang territory. There are rivers and paddy fields everywhere. The cavalry cannot gallop, and the Modao camp cannot form formations. Isn't it the same as the road conditions of more than ten miles near the ferry before?"
"Zhao Shan did not pursue him before because the cavalry could not spread out."
"We pretended to retreat and showed an invincible attitude, isn't it just to make Zhao Shan lose his advantage when entering Chaisang territory, so that we can win?"
Gu Xianxiong talked eloquently: "This is the real way to lure the enemy deeper. Once Zhao Shan goes deep into Yangzhou, falls into the water town of Jiangnan, and loses the cavalry and Modao camp, won't it be easy for us to take advantage of Zhao Shan?"
"Wonderful!"
Zhao Gou was so happy that his hands and feet danced.
For a time, the depressed mood dissipated, and I had endless fighting spirit, feeling that I could do it again.
Zhao Gou was not stingy in his praise and said with approval: "Gu Qing, you are worthy of being my counselor, full of wisdom and resourcefulness. With an outstanding and resourceful person like you, we will definitely destroy Zhao Shan. When we take control of Luoyang, you will be the best among the civil servants." First of all, you must be able to handle the entire Daqian government affairs well and be qualified for the position of Prime Minister."
Gu Xianxiong knew that Zhao Gou was a painter.
However, he was willing to eat it because the pie was delicious and he could look forward to the future.
Gu Xianxiong also had ambitions to make progress, and said: "If I ever succeed, it will be all because of the king's trust and support. Without the king, there would be nothing for me."
Zhao Gou laughed, his fighting spirit high, and ordered: "In order to stabilize the morale of the army, we must also summon the generals of each major clan one by one, and have a careful conversation with them to eliminate panic and stabilize people's hearts."
Gu Xianxiong praised: "The king is wise, but I missed this matter."
Zhao Gou smiled proudly.
He became so anxious that he didn't even care about the casualties of the soldiers, let alone the injured mud leg. Because in Zhao Gou's eyes, the soldiers in the army are just mud-legged and born with a low life.
There is a difference between the fate of soldiers and the aloof emperor like him.
Zhao Gou started to meet with the generals of the big families in the army, but he became very busy.
At the ferry, the Yangzhou soldiers were busy and time passed quickly.
In Xiazhi County, Zhao Shan comforted the wounded soldiers, encouraged and comforted them, and then returned to the tower to have dinner.
After eating and drinking, Zhao Shan met all the prisoners in the city.
These are Yangzhou soldiers, common people recruited from local areas by various families, as well as rangers from some families.
Zhao Shan stood on the platform, looked at the gathered prisoners, and said loudly: "You soldiers from Yangzhou, some of you are rangers, and you want to establish a career in the army."
"There are also people who are common people controlled by big families. You are exploited by big families, forced to take loans, and eventually lose your land. You can only live by renting land from big families, and you have to rely on big families."
"You can't refuse the call from the big clan, you have no choice but to come and join the war."
"Whether you are an ambitious person or a common person who has no choice but to join the war, I know one thing. You are also my people, and you are all common people of Daqian."
Zhao Shan had a gentle attitude, just comforting these prisoners.
When Zhao Shan spoke, everyone fell silent. Each of the captives felt comfortable listening to Zhao Shan's words, thinking that the emperor was very good. The emperor was not the green-faced fang in the legend, nor was he extremely vicious, nor did he kill innocent people indiscriminately.
There was discussion, but not loudly.
Zhao Shan did not ban the people from talking, and continued: "Everyone listen, you are my people, I will not kill you, and I will release you back. Before releasing you, I will say three things. "
boom! !
The prisoners felt like they were in an explosion.
Everyone was excited and extremely excited.
Release the prisoners!
It means they can go back, which is an unprecedented good thing.
Not to mention what Zhao Shan wanted to say, it was just that Zhao Shan wanted to release the prisoners. Many prisoners had a very good impression of Zhao Shan and felt that Zhao Shan was not a bad emperor, let alone a vicious person.
Zhao Shan allowed the people to discuss it.
After a long while, the discussion subsided slightly, and Zhao Shancai ordered: "Quiet!"
The soldiers ordered and the shouts died down.
The eyes of all the Yangzhou soldiers fell on Zhao Shan again.
Zhao Shan took a breath and continued: "I just said three things. The first thing is that I want to give opportunities to people with lofty ideals so that you can stand out and stand out with your talents."
"How to give it?"
"It's basically two arrangements."
"If you are a person who has studied and has a certain amount of knowledge, I will take a separate exam. Anyone who passes the exam will be arranged by me, either to take up a position in the local area or to stay in the center to work."
"I will also open a talent recruitment center, because there are many scholars who are eloquent but not good at writing articles. These people should also have opportunities."
"If you are a martial arts practitioner, I will set up a separate arena to select martial artists. As long as you can stand out, I will incorporate them into the army and entrust you with important tasks, so that you can make meritorious deeds with your own martial arts skills."
Zhao Shan quickly said the first direction.
The crowd exploded again.
Countless people became excited.
A large part of the private soldiers of various major clans are rangers and warriors. What these people are best at is martial arts. They are brave and good at fighting. They have a lot of kung fu, but they have no connections, no network, and no reputation. They can only hang out in the world or show off their martial arts.
In Yangzhou, they had no other way out.
Now Zhao Shan gives a way out.
There were few literati in the army and not many scholars. Even so, the scholars who could read became excited.
Yangzhou has always been dominated by big clan politics.
Yangzhou's aristocratic families monopolized all resources. If they wanted to become officials, it would be impossible to become an official without the family's background and the recommendation of their benefactor. Only by becoming a dog of a wealthy family or being connected to a wealthy family can one become an official.
This is a place where class is solidified.
It is a paradise for aristocratic families.
It is a hell for poor scholars.
Just like this, many scholars in the military were excited and felt that the emperor was the holy master.
Zhao Shan stirred up the prisoners' anger, raised his hand again to control the restless emotions among the prisoners, and continued: "The second thing I want to arrange is that I capture Zhao Gou and kill those who violate laws and disciplines." After the family, we must find out the common people hidden by the big family."
"I forbid big families to hide their houses in private, so that these common people can be allocated land, so that they can cultivate their own land, live with dignity, and become real people, not cats and dogs of big families, or even dogs. Worse than anything else.”
"I also want to exempt the corvee tax so that the people who are separated from the big family can live a good life."
"People are people and should not be bullied."
Zhao Shan's eyes were sharp and he said loudly: "I came to Yangzhou just for one idea, to make Yangzhou fair and to have a blue sky, instead of ordinary people like you being controlled by life and death."
"Your Majesty, Holy Might!"
Suddenly some people in the crowd shouted.
This time there were more people shouting, not only the rangers, not only the scholars, but also the common people recruited by countless big families.
Many people in Yangzhou are living a very hard life.
Because of the power of the big families, they have seized all the profits and occupied the land. The people have no other way to survive but to make a living by cultivating the land of the big families. After a year, most of the food has been paid to rent, leaving only a few people who can barely survive without starving to death.
It is impossible to have a full meal.
From the beginning to the end, the people of Yangzhou were squeezed and exploited by the big families, and their lives were miserable.
Zhao Shan wants to give everyone a way to survive, and countless people support and are excited.
When Zhao Shan saw the boiling captive, a faint smile appeared on his face.
This is the general trend of the people!
Zhao Gou was arrogant and looked down upon all the people. But Zhao Shan knew very well that the people had the most powerful power and were the basis for changing the world. It was their existence that could reverse everything.
"Your Majesty, Holy Might!"
"Your Majesty is wise!"
Countless people shouted, and their voices echoed in the air for a long time.
After a long time, the shouting gradually subsided.
Zhao Shan's eyes became more and more calm, and he was very satisfied that the people's support was available. He further continued: "The third thing I want to announce is that after I release you, you will return to Zhao Gou's command."
"Next, I will attack Zhao Gou."
"Once I destroy Zhao Gou, those of you who dare to resist and stand up to do things for the court will be rewarded by me as long as they have made meritorious service."
"If you can kill Zhao Gou, I will grant you an official position and a title."
"If you have made meritorious service, I will not hesitate to reward you."
Zhao Shan said loudly: "These are the three things I announced. I hope you will keep them in mind. I have arrested you this time. At least you are alive and at least not killed. I hope you can find your way back in the subsequent war."
"Let them go!"
Zhao Shan gave the order.
After the order was issued, all Yangzhou soldiers captured by Zhao Shan were released. At first, many people were worried and no one dared to come forward. After a moment of hesitation, the first group of people stepped forward and left without being targeted, followed by a large number of Yangzhou soldiers leaving.
Countless people poured out, left the military camp, and disappeared from Zhao Shan's sight.
From the moment they left the camp to the time the soldiers left the city, Zhao Shan's soldiers controlled the situation and guided the direction to ensure that nothing went wrong during the release process.
It was not until midnight that all the prisoners left.
Zhao Shan's camp became quiet again.
Zhao Shan let the prisoners go and became tired, so he went to rest early.
Zhao Shan slept peacefully, and a large number of Yangzhou soldiers who left Xiaji County overnight returned all the way, and it was already midnight when they came to the ferry shore.
The sentinels arranged by Zhao Gou discovered the situation and did not dare to delay, so they quickly returned to report the news. This matter was reported to Gu Xianxiong's ears first, and Gu Xianxiong did not dare to delay and went to see Zhao Gou again.
After Gu Xianxiong saluted, he quickly said something about the prisoners starting to run back.
After hearing this, Zhao Gou looked in disbelief, feeling that there was a conspiracy, and said in a deep voice: "Gu Qing, what do you think Zhao Shan was up to? Did he arrange for someone to mix in when he released the prisoners?"
Gu Xianxiong nodded and said: "The king's inference is possible. To thoroughly investigate all the soldiers, we can only arrange for the grassroots generals to verify individually and find out the people placed by Zhao Shan. Otherwise, Zhao Shan will not release all the prisoners."
Zhao Gou's murderous intention was revealed and he continued: "I am always worried about some conspiracy because I cannot predict Zhao Shan's thoughts. Now, I might as well kill all the prisoners who have escaped to avoid causing future troubles."
