On the sixth day of August, after Li Yuan's army crossed the You River, there was a vast plain in front of them, and they all arrived at Linyuan City in less than a day.
Outside the west gate of Linyuan City, there were already dense crowds of people standing to welcome Wu Ping's army in triumph. In addition to the guard Chen Li and other civil and military officials, four to five thousand people who came from nowhere were standing outside the city eagerly waiting. This scene of harmony between the soldiers and the people made the officers and soldiers of the Wuping Army moved for a while. Even though he was exhausted, his steps were sonorous and powerful, because he had a sense of pride and responsibility in protecting the country and the people.
As soon as Li Yuan's horse stopped, Linyuan guard Chen Li took the lead and trotted forward. He held the reins with both hands respectfully, bowed his head and shouted: "General, I will pay homage to the commander! This time, our army defeated Dongxi in one fell swoop. Marshal Lai is so wise and powerful! It is a blessing for the Tang Dynasty to have such a natural-born general as a Marshal! Fortunately for the people! No, when General Lai left the city today, the people of the whole city followed him spontaneously. They all wanted to see the Marshal. His dignity..."
"Ahem..." Li Yuan blushed to the root of his neck in embarrassment, not because he felt that he was not worthy of this honor, but because everything Chen Li described could happen in Langzhou. It is possible anywhere in Wuping, but it is absolutely impossible to happen in Linyuan City at this time.
Why? Just because the situation in Linyuan City is really special.
Although it is only a small area, this small city, as a necessary pass between Dongxi and Wuping, has been under the strict control of the Central Plains Dynasty for hundreds of years. A large number of Han people have migrated here to live here as a resistance to You. The gateway to the water barbarians.
When the King of Chu, Mayin, ruled Hunan, he was naturally well aware of the importance of Linyuan City, so after Kang generously handed over Xizhou and other places to the Peng family for governance, he moved all the withdrawn Chu troops and horses to the Peng family. Stationed in this city, this move is equivalent to holding the throat of Xizhou's eastward advance, and it can take absolute initiative even if the situation changes.
But Ma Yin's good son Ma Xifan didn't think so. The first thing he did after taking over the throne was to start a war with Peng Shichou in high spirits. As a result, after two years of fighting, he had no choice but to negotiate for peace and to show his virtue, he took the initiative to withdraw. Removed most of the defenders of Linyuan City...
From then on, things are familiar to the world. After the Chu Kingdom fell into civil strife between brothers fighting for power, the Southern Tang and Southern Han Dynasties entered the situation, and the Dongxi barbarians also took advantage of the situation to rob Linyuan City, a city where the Han people had inhabited for hundreds of years. Due to the sparse defenders, , had no choice but to let the Xizhou barbarians march straight in.
Just like that day during the Western Expedition, when Li Yuan led his army to attack for the first time, he encountered almost no resistance. The officials in the city and more than a thousand Chu troops surrendered to the Tang Dynasty, then to the barbarians, and then to the Tang Dynasty, very coherently. The soldiers of the Tang army who were fully prepared for Kang's killing of the enemy saw the Chu soldiers all smiling and consciously stacking their armor and weapons in front of them after entering the city. They could only put away their murderous intentions... .
In the past, when Li Yuan and Peng Shiyu formed an alliance, because both parties had a "tacit understanding" and did not discuss the ownership of Linyuan City, and they were in the honeymoon period, they did not send troops to garrison. It was not until the former Fantian clan rebelled that the Dongxi barbarians came to garrison. .
This time during the expedition to Dongxi, Li Yuan had already made up his mind that the wild lands of the three states could be returned to Peng Shiyu's rule, except for Linyuan City, which must be firmly in his hands from now on. Therefore, before the army continued to advance westward, Li Yuan deliberately left Chen Li and several other generals to garrison here along with 800 soldiers. He also sent a message back to Langzhou, ordering Xu Kuangheng to quickly select a group of civil and military officials to take office, officially The city was brought under the rule of Wu Ping.
Li Yuan, who led the army to capture Linyuan City twice, naturally knew the situation in the city very well. Due to the cowardice of the Linyuan defenders over the years, the plight of the people can be imagined. They have been burned, killed, and looted many times by the armies. Whether they are Han people or barbarians, now all the houses are empty, not to mention people, livestock are hard to find.
So the question arises, where did the dense crowd of four to five thousand people who greeted Wu Ping's army outside the West Gate today come from? Li Yuanke has never issued any decree to encourage migration before. Which people would be stupid enough to voluntarily move to the war front?
When Li Yuan asked Chen Li this question with a cold expression, Chen Li was stunned for a moment, and then replied with twinkling eyes. Since the Tang army took over the city, people from the Dongxi area have often heard the news. Due to the recent I was busy rectifying the city defense, but I didn't register. After all, according to Tang law, household registration was made every three years.
This answer can be said to be ingenious. "Coming after hearing the news" not only demonstrates his achievements, but the "household registration has not yet been established" prevents the commander from asking questions in advance, and how can Li Yuan be so good at lakes? He just smiled softly and seemed serious, then ordered several military officers to come forward and began to randomly ask the evasive civilians about the truth.
I don’t know how capable Chen Li is. In Linyuan City for only one month, the people actually shunned him like tigers and wolves. Even though he joined the army and repeatedly vouched for it in the name of the commander, they all bowed their heads and dared not speak. They originally said happily "Congratulations on victory" "The atmosphere gradually fell into an intriguing silence.
Just when Chen Li was secretly feeling lucky, he realized that Li Yuan had ended up personally. He waved to summon several barbarian guides sent by Peng Shiyu and whispered for a while.
"First Evolution"
Most of these barbarian guides were merchants who had been traveling for many years, and they knew all Chinese and barbarian languages. At this time, they naturally did not dare to neglect. They quickly stood in front of the people and began to use barbarian words loudly according to Li Yuan's wishes. Speech.
After muttering several times, the whole army was at a loss, but all the people's expressions changed one after another. They all fell to the ground and cried bitterly. Upon closer inspection, no one was standing. Chen Li and others in Linyuan City When Wen and Wu were scratching their heads and scratching their heads, Li Yuan's face darkened, and then he said coldly: "General Chen, you just said that these people all migrated from Dongxi. According to what I heard, Dongxi There are quite a few Han people in the Land of the River, so why are there not even a single Han person among these people?
Don't you think it's strange that such a coincidence happens? Is it possible that these barbarians want to abandon their homeland and join us in the Tang Dynasty, and they all yearn for me? But none of the Han people who have the same roots and ancestors came? "
"This..." Chen Li couldn't help but swallowed his saliva, and sweat suddenly appeared on his forehead. He hurriedly stepped forward and cupped his hands: "Commander, your great reputation has spread all over the world, and the barbarians naturally It is normal for everyone to surrender..."
Li Yuan suddenly felt angry and funny. Didn't this guy hear about the brutal siege of Xizhou? The barbarians may have already regarded themselves as savage beasts...
"Absurd! If that's the case, why did the commander lead the army all the way, but no barbarian people followed him?"
Chen Li's face turned red, but he still stiffened his neck and insisted on arguing: "Commander! It's not certain whether these people are all barbarians. The Han and barbarians here are mixed, and naturally there are Han people who understand the barbarian language..."
Li Yuan snorted softly and said indifferently: "Oh, why didn't anyone respond to the question in Chinese when he just joined the army? I tell you, it's because they don't understand! The barbarians in the three states of Dongxi are so big Most of the common people do not understand Chinese! Furthermore, do you know what the commander just asked the guide to shout? If they are barbarians, those who kneel on the ground can leave on their own! Since they are willing to surrender to me, the Tang Dynasty, why? Everyone wants to leave?!"
