There are always traces of the development of things, and the same goes for what happened in Yulin. Under the strict blockade of the court, the news was blocked, but through some clues, it can be easily judged that it is not peaceful there.
More than 100,000 people were recruited for military service and labor service before and after the Guannei Road. Thousands of carriages and camel teams were loaded with countless grain, grass and military equipment, and were transported to Yulin. The most significant thing was that Liu Fang, the king of Zhao, led his army northward. After Yulin, in the next two months, more than 50,000 imperial officers and soldiers from all walks of life also entered Yulin.
As for those postmen with military flags on their backs, riding strong horses, galloping on the post road from Yulin to Tokyo, they never stopped throughout the winter, either delivering orders, reporting, or making notices. And the postmen, especially those military posts, also stopped. Always in a state of continuous rotation.
The blockade of information only targets ordinary people who are not high-level enough, but for the upper-class dignitaries of the Han Dynasty, even if they are not fully aware of the situation in Yulin, they have heard to some extent.
Of course, the clearest thing, apart from the front line of suppressing thieves, is the political affairs hall. Even Emperor Liu may not have a comprehensive understanding. He just made inquiries at the right time and really paid attention. The one who stood up for him was the prince. Liu Yang, and Liu Yang, have always been more concerned about this.
However, the prince Liu Yang was also very determined to counter the rebellion in Yulin. He showed no hesitation or mercy. Being able to save tens of thousands of Yulin refugees was already the result of his efforts and he had a clear conscience. As for others, they were beyond their capabilities. There is no need to force it.
It was Emperor Liu's attitude and idea to conduct a thorough cleansing of Yulin, but he didn't care how to do it. The blockade policy proposed by Zhao Pu has to be said to be very vicious and a complete slap in the face.
At the beginning, after Zhao Wang Liu Fang went north to Yulin, he did not do much except drive away some rebels and party members around Dingbian, and then went directly eastward and stationed in Xiazhou.
Afterwards, Liu Fang focused on the construction of the counter-insurgency command system, the construction of guiding ideology and military preparations. If in Guan Nei, under the silent management, some shortcomings had occurred, some sequelae had occurred, and some public dissatisfaction and uneasiness had been caused, then in Yulin, it was a completely different situation.
The counter-rebellion began with the blockade of Yulin, and with Liu Fang's arrival, it also fully began in Yulin. Liu Fang dispatched troops to various states, counties, and towns to enhance defense capabilities. At the same time, he dug large blockade ditches to isolate towns and strongholds from the vast countryside. The focus of the army was also on resisting rebel harassment and ensuring logistical supply lines.
By the midwinter of the twenty-first year, the Han's rule over Yulin had been limited to major towns such as Xia Sui Yin Yan Ling. Outside the towns, it was basically in a state of laissez-faire, as if it had been completely abandoned and followed by the rebels.
In the order issued by the anti-bandit camp to all government offices and the entire army, it was stated bluntly that not a grain of grain or a piece of cloth should fall into the hands of the rebels. Of course, what eventually evolved into this was that Yulin used to need input from the outside. All resources were completely cut off, especially food.
The living conditions in Yulin are already harsh, and it has not been developed too carefully in the past. The contradiction between Han and Hu has also affected the development process. The development of the local economy has always been supported through leather goods, licorice, and green and white salt. The development of agriculture and animal husbandry itself is not enough to meet the survival needs of the entire Yulin.
As soon as the chaos broke out, the fragile economic system was completely broken. The rebels burned, killed, looted, and organized chaos. The government and the army strictly defended and deported and restricted. After one winter, the entire Yulin declined at an unimaginable speed. Come down.
When Liu Fang entered Yulin, both Yuan Ke from Yanzhou, Li Jiqian from Xiazhou, and other rebels, large and small, were extremely vigilant and even fully prepared to deal with a massive invasion.
Like Yuan Ke, because his base camp Minghu Township was too close to Dingbian, he simply gave up and moved north, hoping to attract the government troops to the area where the Party members were active to deal with them.
As a result, despite all the flirting, the officers and soldiers were not moved at all, and Liu Fang did not even look at the rebels. As time went by, as the weather became increasingly harsh, and as the officers and soldiers made a series of adjustments, even the most stupid people came to their senses.
The methods of the government and army were too vicious. They marched to suppress the rebellion and killed only the rebellious rebels. However, such a blockade dealt with the entire population of Yulin, regardless of the Hu and Han people.
Previously, the officials in each city could accommodate some Han people who came to surrender on their own initiative, and also provided certain protection and relief. However, once the blockade ditches in each city were dug, this way of survival was cut off. As for fleeing south, those who see the opportunity early and walk quickly still have hope of survival, while those who are too slow will not be able to escape.
After entering December of the 21st, in the eyes of most of the officers and soldiers, except for the refugees and some miscellaneous people who were attached to the towns, all the rest were traitors. In fact, not all of Yulin is rebelling, but the officers and soldiers are already so determined.
The consequences are serious and terrible. To survive, people need to eat and clothe themselves. However, in such a chaotic situation and under such a firm ban, their basic rights to survive have been lost. Deprived of it in fact.
The Hu Han people trapped in Yulin did not have many choices. After the government cut off their livelihood, they had to either wait for death, or participate in the rebellion and oppose the government. If they were wiped out, they would still die.
Of course, the government did not completely deny opportunities to those who were suspected of being traitors. Emperor Liu had already said before that those who surrendered the heads of traitors to officials would be spared death.
This policy will run through the entire counter-insurgency process.
Ordinary Han and Hu civilians were extremely powerless in such a wave. After one winter, no one knew how many people froze, starved to death, or were killed in Yulin. However, those abandoned villages were lying on the ground. The corpse said it all.
Of course, under the imperial court's counterinsurgency policy, the rebels were also extremely uncomfortable. Rebels are also human beings, they also need to eat and drink, and they also need to consume food, grass, and weapons.
Even though a large amount of wealth, livestock, and food were obtained through the massive looting in the early stages of the rebellion, these were all one-off transactions. The consumption of thousands of rebels was equally huge, and they would eventually run out of money.
When Yulin was in chaos and all production activities were abandoned, there was no place to rob. Yulin was so big, with so many people, and so many resources, so the rebels' sources of military supplies were even narrower. As time goes by, the situation becomes more serious.
By December, the various rebels in Yulin were completely unable to restrain themselves, and they really felt like they were trapped in a cage built by the imperial court. At this point, the so-called rejuvenation of the party, the great cause of resisting the Han Dynasty, and all the extravagant hopes for glory and wealth have slowly melted away. Nothing is as important and realistic as having enough food and clothing.
In the cold and snowy weather, rebels from all walks of life ran rampant in Yulin like headless flies, scurrying around and struggling to fight back. Some attacked the state capital, and some attacked the Han army's supply line, but these two items were also defended by the government and the army with all their strength. Naturally, the rebels suffered a bloody blow.
Those transportation teams that are relatively easy to attack are those transport teams. However, in addition to sending elite soldiers to escort the transport, the camp also issued an order. If things don't work, they will be burned. If they fall into the hands of traitors, they will be dealt with according to military law. Therefore, there are often some people in the baggage teams going to and from Yulin in the pass. Their duty is not to escort and protect, but to be ready to burn grain, grass and military supplies at any time.
It was indeed difficult and dangerous to snatch food from the officers and soldiers. Therefore, soon, the "rebels" in Yulin began to attack each other to snatch food and supplies, just to fight for a glimmer of hope of survival. Many times, when you have a bloody fight, you find that the opponent has nothing left except a dead life.
The vigorous Yulin Rebellion had not survived twenty-one years before it fell into disintegration and cannibalism. In this regard, both Yuan Ke and Li Jiqian felt helpless. Of course, at this time, they had too much time to take care of themselves, so how could they restrain the rebels, even if they accepted their rewards.
If there is anyone among the Yulin rebels who deserves Liu Fang's attention, they are probably Yuan Ke and Li Jiqian. They have the means and strategies, and of course they are also the strongest. Each has tens of thousands of people. Of course , they also bear the greatest pressure to survive.
These two people also did not sit back and wait for death, but chose to take the initiative. On the Xiazhou side, with Liu Fang personally in charge, Li Jiqian did not dare to go south, so he chose to go north to fight the Loop.
Yuan Ke from Yanzhou was not willing to be lonely. After several attempts and failures, the mountains were difficult to cross and the pass was difficult to enter. He chose to gather all the thieves and march west to Lingzhou, where he joined the rebels in Lingzhou with the intention of crossing the Yellow River. , go to Hexi to get food.
(End of chapter)
