What does it mean to be a desperate official?
When Zhao Ding heard this, his fat face showed a guilty conscience!
This is someone who gave the official family of the Song Dynasty a nickname, and even gave it the nickname of "the official family who works hard". How unpleasant it sounds! Although the current official is not a good emperor of peace and is always running around fighting against gold thieves, we cannot say that he is a "desperate official"!
If Zhang Jun, the censor Zhongcheng, knew about this, he would be impeached and imprisoned in Yushitai Prison to be imprisoned...
Zhao Ding was lying idle when a dark-faced strong man in his forties outside had already opened his chain and came in by himself.
This man wore a soft-footed futou on his head, a purple robe with narrow sleeves and a round collar, and a straight knife hanging from his waist. Although he was dressed like a military officer, the recklessness on his face could not be concealed. It was obvious at a glance that he had just joined the ranks of feudal bureaucracy.
Such people... Qu Duan looks down upon him!
A military general from the Quduan family is still a relative of Zhao Kai - his son married a princess, and one of his nieces is now a "female banzhi". It is said that she has been favored and will soon be promoted to a concubine.
How could someone like him like Niu Gao?
Yes, the person coming is Niu Gao. The difference is that the real Niu Gao is an uncle who only rose to power in middle age and embarked on a life-changing journey. He is about the same age as Zhao Ding and Qu Duan, and is exactly forty years old this year.
This age will not be young in future generations, but Niu Gao is not an ordinary person! Although he is old, he is still as strong as a cow, his arms are thicker than the calves of ordinary people, his body is broad, there is wind when he walks, and his voice is like thunder.
"Prefect, Lieutenant Qu, Guan Jingli's family has arrived... I want you to go and greet them together!"
Zhao Ding glared: "Niu Boyuan, what are you talking nonsense about? How can there be any desperate... desperate officialdom?"
Before Niu Gao realized that he had said the wrong thing, he was still shouting: "It's true! There are really desperate officials... who brought thousands of cavalry to the outside of the camp, where are you going?" Aren’t you going to meet the driver?”
Zhao Ding still wanted to continue to pester about the "fighting officials" matter, but Qu Duan suddenly stood up: "Prefect Zhao, Niu Qianha seems to have said that the officials have arrived outside the camp!"
"The official..." Zhao Ding couldn't believe his ears.
Niu Gao was already anxious and stamped his feet: "Yes, yes, Lieutenant Qu is right, the officials are here! They also bring three thousand iron cavalry... Oh, some of them look like little Ladies, there are dozens of them smearing their faces with white gauze! Our official family really knows how to enjoy happiness!"
Zhao Ding finally understood, "That's right, it must be the official family... Where are the official family?"
Niu Gao said: "Where can we go? Of course it's opposite the suspension bridge of Rushui Floating Bridge!"
Zhao Ding and Qu Duan were still very vigilant, but they did not dare to set up their camp on the north bank of Ru River. What if the gold thieves came to attack?
There are hundreds of thousands of stones of grain, a large amount of fodder, bean cakes, and various other materials stored here, but they cannot be robbed by gold thieves.
So they set up their camp on the south bank of Ru River. In order to facilitate communication between both sides of the Ru River, they built a pontoon bridge. There was still a section missing in the middle of the pontoon bridge, so a suspension bridge was built to connect the two sides. The deck of the suspension bridge is usually pulled up and can only be lowered upon the order of Qu Duan or Zhao Ding.
Zhao Kai came all the way so fast, and in order to keep it confidential, he did not notify the places along the way in advance - Zhao Kai has now used the "Clone Technique", and there are still Zhao Kai's black banners and " The mountains and rivers are on the verge of becoming the land of China, the sun and the moon are reopening the Great Song Dynasty,” the flag of recognition is there!
When Han Shizhong and Huang Wuji go out into battle, they will still hold up their black banners and recognition flags!
Therefore, Zhao Kai’s true whereabouts must be kept as secret as possible!
The reason for this is because Han Shizhong believes that as much grain as possible should be transported to Luoyang - because last year's King Daqin consumed the accumulation of Jingxi Road, especially Henan Prefecture. Therefore, the granaries of Henan Prefecture are empty. If troops are deployed in Hedong, Hanoi, or east of Luoyang, food supply will become a problem.
When fighting in these places where water transportation is inconvenient and food is scarce, food is a bargaining chip for victory!
Therefore, while Zhao Kai was moving toward Ruzhou, Wang Yuan of Henan Prefecture also received orders to lead the Tiance Chinese Army southward to Yingyang to set up defenses to prevent the gold thieves from advancing westward to Yichuan.
Han Shizhong hoped that Zhao Kai would command the troops and civilians to transport as much food as possible to Yique Town in the upper reaches of Yichuan River.
.......
The suspension bridge that had blocked Zhao Kai for a while was finally lowered, and then Zhao Kai saw a group of officials in neat official uniforms leading their entourage on the other side of the pontoon bridge, holding various recognition flags and official badges, and came from one building in disorder. poured out from the gate of the camp.
Among the three leaders, one is Qu Duan, and there is a fat man who is panting while running. He is wearing a scarlet official coat, he should be Zhao Ding, and there is another one... who is as strong as a cow and very big. ! Wearing the purple robe of a warrior, he looks like a tiger general! He is too small to be a cavalryman. The war horses available now are too short, and he looks pitiful when carrying him on his back. However, it’s just right to be the leading infantry general in the charge!
A group of officials finally arrived in front of Zhao Kai, and then lined up their shifts according to their official positions. Of course the one standing at the front is Qu Duan!
He commanded a dignified army, and also served as the governor of Dengzhou. He was destined to be a doctor, which was far beyond what Zhao Ding, a civil servant, could compare with.
The "tiger general" was standing behind Zhao Ding, seemingly one of his subordinates.
Qu Duan, Zhao Ding, Niu Gao and others, plus dozens of civil and military officials, took their positions, and dozens of throats opened together: "I welcome you! Long live, long live... .”
Zhao Kai laughed loudly, got off the horse neatly, and then strode towards Qu Duan. Qu Duan was bowing to Zhao Kai. Zhao Kai stretched out his hand to help him, "Qu Zhengfu, I didn't expect to see you in Ruzhou." Come to me?"
While he was talking, he was looking at Niu Gao from the corner of his eye. This guy looked like a tough guy. He got his materials here in Ruzhou... This emperor likes tough guys the most. Come and conquer the world with me!
Qu Duan smiled and replied: "Guan Jia, I really didn't expect you to come here... I wonder what important matters Guan Jia has to come to Ruzhou?"
Zhao Kai's face darkened when he heard this question.
"I am the emperor on horseback. Why do I bring 3,600 cavalry to Ruzhou? Of course I want to fight the golden thieves on the southern front! Lieutenant Wang has already led his troops to Yingyang, and Lieutenant Li's army is also heading towards Liang County. Come... soon we will be able to assemble three armies near Ruzhou, plus some rural troops and civilians to assist in the battle, and we will be able to gather an army of 50,000 or 60,000!"
Are you really going to have a big fight with the gold thief?
A group of civil servants and military generals knew something bad was going to happen when they heard this!
It's not that I'm afraid of going to war with the gold thief, but I'm afraid of being forced to fight by the "desperate official" Zhao Kai!
At this time, most of the troops on the southern front of the Zhongzhou battlefield were "miscellaneous" and not direct descendants of Zhao Kai, so it was inevitable to "preserve" their strength. If there were tough and bitter battles, they would be pushed outwards, and if there were advantages, they would take advantage of them.
But now that the officials are here in person, who can run away?
Zhao Kai also felt that his morale was a bit low, and it seemed that he, the chosen one, needed to be cheered up.
So he opened his throat and shouted loudly to the civil and military officials around him: "Juns! Qings! The Song Dynasty today is not a Song Dynasty for me alone, but a Song Dynasty that shares the world with all the Juns and Qings! Not only the Song Dynasty! Everyone has a share, you and your ministers, that is, all the soldiers here have a share... This is our Song Dynasty! We have to fight our lives to protect this Song Dynasty. Only by protecting it can I give You officials, I will give you your honors, your titles, and your land!
Today I can promise all the soldiers who followed me to fight the gold thief, including the government soldiers, rural soldiers, people Zhuang and people, that as long as we win... everyone will get a reward! Reward officials, reward money, reward land!
As long as you have meritorious service, no matter what your status is, you can be awarded according to the standards of the "Twelve Honors System"!
Lords and ministers, the rise and fall of the Song Dynasty, let us fight here! You all should work hard together with me! "
