Outside Zhenyi Pass in the south, Zhao Bingyan took a small team of the special operations brigade to travel in makeup and came to Hengshan Village near Dali. He saw that the huge military stronghold in the past was destroyed after being attacked by the Yuan army. It still looks desolate and lamented the Mongols. Done thoroughly.
Zhou Yu, captain of the special operations brigade, reported to him: There is an anti-Yuan rebel army pulled up by Yue Fei's descendants active near here. It is said that there are several thousand troops, but their weapons and equipment are too old and they lack combat power.
He nodded and called Haosheng to investigate.
At night, Zhao Bingyan confiscated the Yuan army's food and grass in the military stronghold and moved into Taiping stronghold overnight.
This place is far more prosperous than Hengshan Village. It is a distribution center for the Yuan army in the southwestern region where soldiers and horses come and go, as well as food and supplies.
He sneaked into the grain depot and armory of the military stronghold and confiscated the illegal gains. He stopped destroying the warehouses and expected the warehouses in the military stronghold to be filled again. He was suspicious of each other internally and confiscated the grain and grass again when there was suspicion.
Zhao Bingyan came back from Pingxiangdong and had tea and talked with Zhang Qi and Zhou Fu, the generals guarding the pass.
Zhang Qi reported to him: The Guards have completely controlled the border, and people and business travelers can come and go freely.
Pingxiangdong is currently located on the border between the Song Dynasty and the Yuan Dynasty. The road leading to Dali goes west to Tubo. It has obvious location advantages. The border trade here is developed, and businessmen coming and going are willing to make a living in Pingxiang.
They stationed a company in Pingxiang for a long time, and the teams were on duty in rotation. The taxes collected were enough to support the troops.
Zhao Bingyan glared at him and said: Most of the court's land border trade is in Pingxiang, why do you collect taxes? The income from this place must be handed over to the court. How much money the army spends will be verified by the general.
Zhang Qi was stunned for a moment and immediately reported the matter to him. He would make a record and report it truthfully.
He said slowly: "It's not your fault. Annan has just been taken back and everything is waiting to be done. But each of us must keep the rules in mind and strictly abide by the laws and rules. If not, sooner or later the fun will be over in one day."
Zhou Fu felt that the atmosphere was too embarrassing, so he laughed and said: Isn't this the broken mountains and rivers? In the past, military leaders were used to setting up cards to charge, and plucking geese to raise military supplies. Thanks to the King of Han's ability to raise logistical equipment, it would be unimaginable how chaotic the situation would be otherwise.
Zhao Bingyan waved his hand and said: This trend cannot last long. The life of the people who are in chaos is too difficult. If we continue to attack the people ruthlessly, even if we occupy the territory, no one will support us.
He asked that taxes on business be reduced first and restored to the standards set by the court before the war.
He said: "As long as we don't starve to death, it's even better to reduce the price by 10%. In that case, the traders and travellers will make a profit, and they will be willing to go to Pingxiang to make a living. Is the court still worried about not receiving taxes?"
The two warriors didn't know how to do business, but they had already regarded him as a god. After listening to Zhao Bingyan's instructions, they nodded in agreement like chickens pecking at rice.
He changed the topic and praised the two warriors for their good idea of stationing a small number of troops in Pingxiang Cave, which could attract the Yuan army to attack eagerly, but they also wanted to expand their control over the surrounding areas of Pingxiang.
Zhao Bingyan thought of the military work teams behind enemy lines during the Anti-Japanese War in later generations. The elusive armed masses carried out struggles in enemy-occupied areas, established large guerrilla areas, and formed a huge intelligence network. Every move of the enemy was known to the rear.
If Zhenyiguan does the same thing, there will be no fear that the Pingxiang garrison will be made dumplings by the Yuan army, and at the same time, a group of talents who are good at dealing with the common people will be trained.
Zhao Bingyan told the two of them this idea, and asked them to organize the manpower into several small teams, spread them out to control the surrounding territory, and move all the actual combat training of the troops to the north.
After a long time, these brothers knew the situation in the north very well, and when they decided to recover Guangnan West Road, they did not need to ask for a guide and could go directly.
Zhou Fu was happy.
Zhang Qi was even more surprised. He didn't expect that King Han had so many good ideas in his mind.
He asked how the artillery training was?
Zhang Qi looked at him eagerly and said that there were not many shells, so Xiao Chengzhang did not dare to shoot easily.
Zhao Bingyan laughed when he heard this. This guy seemed to be talking slander.
He said yes, the cannonballs will be fired one round and one short. If Mr. Zhuge does not support it, we will have to stop cooking.
He asked Zhang Qi to combine artillery training with infantry training. He would bring two or three artillery pieces with him each time he was dispatched, hit and run, and train artillery in actual combat.
Three days later, Zhao Bingyan left Zhenyi Pass and returned south.
At this moment, the phoenix boat of the Queen Mother Yang Shufei of the Southern Song Dynasty was sailing at the estuary of the Fuliang River. The woman, escorted by thirty newly painted navy ships, sailed along the coast of Guangnan West Road to Annan, feeling extremely happy. .
If she had just escaped from Lin'an, she wouldn't have dared to think about it. At that time, she would have been worried about being stopped by the Yuan Tatars and unable to escape.
When the army set out for the western expedition to Annan, Concubine Yang Shu was not completely relieved. She was afraid that the western expedition would fail and the family wealth that the court had finally accumulated would be depleted.
She was so worried that she couldn't sleep since she couldn't get any news from Annan every three days, and frequently asked Aunt Liu if she had any news from the King of Han.
She was still not confident until Zhao Bingyan took Zhenyi Pass and blocked the Yuan army's path south.
When Wen Tianxiang wrote that the little emperor Annan had surrendered and the army was stationed in Thang Long City was delivered to her, Concubine Yang was extremely surprised. She walked around the palace happily, trembling while holding the report in her hands, and murmuring in her mouth. Said: "Victory, God bless the Song Dynasty."
Aunt Liu also said happily: "God bless my master, I have appointed a King of Han who is good at conquering and fighting."
The master and the servant cried with joy.
It was smooth sailing today when we arrived in Annan. We were surrounded by powerful Royal Guards on both sides. Yang Shufei was in a good mood. When they saw Wen Tianxiang and Zhang Shijie greeting him, they shouted: The two beloved ministers have made great contributions, but they have been affected.
She looked around, but couldn't find Zhao Bingyan. She couldn't help but ask, "Where is the King of Han from the Ai family?"
Wen Tianxiang said with a smile: "The King of Han was afraid of the Tatar attack, so he rushed to Zhenyi Pass to arrange defense."
The group of people happily sent her to Fengyi Palace. Yang Shufei had seen the huge city and the exquisite palace, and she was so happy.
However, when she heard that the imperial court was not running errands in Annan Imperial City, but was staying in Shenglong Mansion Yamen, she was displeased and asked Zhang Shijie lightly why?
Zhang Shijie carefully explained: "This is the idea of the King of Han. Annan has been a country for a long time. Although they have submitted to the Song Dynasty, it will be difficult to get rid of the Annan Kingdom in the hearts of the people for a while. The King of Han opened the imperial city for thousands of people to travel in order to let the subjects know it early. Annan Kingdom is no longer there, now it is Annan Mansion.”
Wen Tianxiang nodded in agreement and reported to her that Annan was tentatively designated as the Annan Governor's Palace. He had already reported it in the memorial.
Concubine Yang Shu felt regretful because she did not have a palace, so she issued an eviction order on the grounds that she was tired from the journey.
Wen Tianxiang sensed Yang Shufei's displeasure and invited Zhang Shijie and Lu Xiufu to have tea together.
When Lu Xiufu entered the city, he was delighted when he saw the huge city, the neat streets and the people coming and going. He repeatedly lamented that the army conquered Annan as scheduled and gained millions of people, which was completely beyond his expectation.
Zhang Shijie said that when he first set out, he was not at ease, and he never thought that he could really do it. The king of Han had such a clever plan.
Wen Tianxiang nodded and said with a solemn expression: "There are many governance matters ahead. It is said that it is easier to conquer the country than to retain it. It is not easy to convince the Annan people to submit to the Song Dynasty."
Zhang Shijie is not afraid. He thinks that when Annan had strong soldiers and horses, the Song army directly defeated them. Some people really dare to rebel. The soldiers in his hand are short of opponents, so he doesn't mind tying them all up for sparring.
Lu Xiufu was confident that he could govern Annan well. He was not good at fighting alone, but he was not afraid of dying from exhaustion when doing political affairs.
The three of them laughed, and Zhang Shijie and Wen Tianxiang both raised their teacups to toast him.
Wen Tianxiang was concerned about the Queen Mother Yang Shufei's mental illness. He was afraid that the Queen Mother had other ideas, so he asked Lu Xiufu tactfully: "Does the Queen Mother have an explanation?"
Lu Xiufu left the position of comfort envoy on Hainan Road to his hardcore Cen Lin, and followed the Queen Mother to move here without any hesitation. She was not over the excitement period yet.
He said bluntly: The Queen Mother had been imagining how Annan's palace was like, how the general and right minister were like, and how the King of Han was like. Was he injured? Leave everything else alone.
Wen Tianxiang let out a long breath and said, "Oh, that's it."
Two days later, Zhao Bingyan returned to the Han Palace in Thang Long City and found Zhu Jingyi coming.
The little girl wearing a thin gauze dress came out to greet him like flying, and ducked into his arms. The guard behind him quickly turned his face to the side.
Zhao Bingyan was hit by the girl's two elastic shock absorbers as if he was electrocuted. He quickly pushed Zhu Jingyi away and said, "I'm not married yet, so don't be reserved."
