After Quancheng was captured, Guan Luoyang first interrogated Liu Guang and others, and then sent Dai Zong to specially invite Li Kaixian. He, a local, took the things Liu Guang confessed to screen the wealthy families in the city to see which ones should be If you kill them directly, you can still barely survive.
In just two days, these wealthy families who colluded with the government and were unkind to get rich had their warehouses emptied out. All the minerals stored in their homes were moved out, and those who wanted to escape with large bags of gold, silver, and soft goods were blocked. Went back.
But the people in the city did not have the extra energy to pay attention to the life and death of these gentlemen - because Liangshan opened granaries to release grain.
In addition to the large government granary on the surface of Quancheng, the grain shops, salt shops, grain ships, and restaurants secretly controlled by officials of all sizes in Quancheng have also become ready-made places for distributing porridge and food.
Guan Luoyang also sent people to transport food to various city gates. He first fed the poor people and beggars who had fled with rice soup for a few days, and then distributed some food to each of them.
When the Liangshan disciples in red were walking among the crowd outside the city, they could hear voices of gratitude almost everywhere. There were also people bringing their children to kneel to them, and even half-grown teenagers who had the courage to go up and inquire. Want to join Liangshan.
Three days later, when large groups of soldiers transported grain and minerals back to Liangshan, tens of thousands of people were accompanying them around Guangquan City.
Some people in the countryside on the road saw such a big movement and heard about the deeds of Liangshan soldiers and horses distributing grain. This team unknowingly became larger.
There is actually quite a lot of fertile land on the Liangshan side that can be cultivated for growing food. There are even some places that were originally fertile land, but because those who had the strength were dragged into working as miners, they became overgrown with weeds and became barren.
But reclamation is a very difficult task. Due to the lack of suitable farm tools, strong bodies, and lack of food seeds, the people who fled there in the past were unable to complete farming at all. They could only choose to fish and hunt to survive. livelihood.
But now that Liangshan has so many soldiers, it is enough to open up the wasteland first, and the subsequent sowing, water diversion, and pest control can be left to these ordinary people to take care of.
"Alas, what a pity is that the time for spring plowing has passed."
In the team escorting grain and minerals, Lin Chong sighed like this.
Luda smiled on the horse and said: "The big leader has expected this for a long time. He will stay in Quancheng for a while, so he wrote a letter and asked the Sa family to go back and forward it to Taoist Lin."
Lin Chong's eyes lit up: "Mr. Yuan Miao's Shenxiao Taoism is said to be the best at calling the wind and rain, and controlling thunder and lightning. With his cultivation, if he works hard to regulate the climate, he can indeed accomplish things."
"However, when I was in Bianliang, I heard that he was arrogant and merciless. He even looked down on the civil servants and generals of the court. Would he be willing to cast a spell for these people?"
Luda said: "The big leader said that after returning, we should call Li Ying and the others first. After Taoist Lin has finished reading the letter, instead of waiting for him to have a chance to speak, let's gather around and praise each other first. The Sa family sees that the big leader is well versed in this. The method will definitely work."
Lin Chong nodded thoughtfully: "Then I will also praise you when the time comes."
The sound of horse hooves was heard in the distance. Wu Song rode up and said with a smile: "I found a few spies. They turned out to be from the nearby state capital. They discovered the movements of our team and sent people out to check."
Wu Song couldn't stop laughing, "Hahahaha, I asked a few questions, but those bird officials still haven't figured out what happened in Quancheng until today."
Lu Da snorted: "Unlucky! When the Sa family was in the army, Mr. Xiaozhong, the general manager of the army, was often annoyed by these ignorant and inactive magistrates."
Lin Chong smiled happily and said: "But now, this can actually prove that we broke the city quickly and acted safely. I am afraid that we will have to wait until those defeated soldiers who fled to other state capitals enter the city and report to the official. Clear your head and report it to Bianliang."
His judgment was not wrong.
It was not until four days after Quancheng was captured by the Liangshan disciples that urgent reports from various places on Jingdong East Road rushed to Bianliang one after another.
The first to arrive there was the fast horse from Yizhou.
Yizhou military commander Gao Lian and deputy commander Gao Feng are missing. The local prefect is the most anxious among the officials on Jingdong East Road.
Hearing that Quancheng was lost, he immediately sent out his confidants, riding Gao Lian's thousands of yellow-smoked horses and horses that he had collected for several months and prepared to pay tribute, and rode non-stop, day and night, to Bianliang to report the news.
When the BMW arrived outside Bianliang City, it was around midnight, and half of the sky was lit up by the various lights of the night market in the city.
Looking outside the city, one can also see curls of smoke, various types of incense, cooking smoke, and famous incense burned in temples and palaces, lingering over the capital city like fairy mist.
But all the coveted and enviable beauty in the city are cut off by the tall and towering city walls. In front of the rider, there is only a door that connects the inside and outside.
Since Emperor Tianming commanded a large number of civil and military heroes, who defeated Xixia and shocked Tubo, there were large armies on the border to frighten the Liao Kingdom. Emperor Longyan was delighted and issued various government orders to highlight the prosperity of the Song Dynasty.
One of them is the Xuande Gate in Bianliang City. No matter whether it is windy or rainy day or night, the gates will not be closed. How long has it been since the fall of Xixia? The two gates of the Xuande Gate have not been closed for a long time.
The emissaries on the backs of the thousands of miles of yellow smoke showed their documents and badges outside Xuande Gate, but the soldiers under the city wall just looked through them casually.
The Taoist official guarding the city cast a ray of magical light on the city wall, illuminating a cloud of luck smoke above the post envoy's head, proving that his identity was valid.
"The night market in the city is lively, and there are also noble people walking on the street in the middle of the night. Although you are delivering an urgent message, you still need to know the rules. After entering the city, take the road to ward off evil spirits, detour half of the city, and then go to Fuyin Go report it to the Yamen."
After a few words of warning from the Taoist official, he sent the post envoys to ride into the city.
After entering the city, the first thing that broke into the Yizhou Yishi's nostrils was the rich aroma, but if you can distinguish it carefully, you will find that underneath the smell of smoke, there is a more rough and unpleasant pungent smell.
There are now tens of thousands of people practicing magic skills in Bianliang City, swallowing minerals, and the overflowing turbid air permeates every corner of the capital. Every morning, it will cause smog. If the children with weak constitutions Walking in the haze can even make your eyes shed tears.
The reason why spices are being used up so quickly in the city is because the dignitaries and those with some spare money in their families want to use incense to cover up the strange smell like roasted iron stone.
Originally, there were too many hidden dangers in the side sects, and the cultivation methods of the immortal sect, which initially included polishing the nine orifices and cultivating the spiritual intelligence, were too simple and difficult. Even though the nobles in Bianliang City were all interested in seeking magical powers, they were unable to do so. Can't hold on.
In the past, if they wanted to experience the feeling of holding magical powers, they could only find ways to become officials. Those who became officials would do anything to become bigger officials and gain more luck.
And since the magic method became popular, those officials with smaller positions, those children of famous families without official positions, and those wealthy businessmen have discovered that there is such an easy-to-get started cultivation method.
As long as there are enough resources, anyone can develop the strength of a thousand pounds, leap like flying, chase swallows and capture eagles. If you can ask the Taoist officials to help prepare the mineral materials, it will be even easier to practice.
Just think, how could they give up this path?
However, when the messenger arrived at the Evil Alley, the strangely strong aroma suddenly faded a lot.
This alley is inhabited by Taoist officials from the imperial court. Most of them practice immortal ways, and some practice heretical ways. But in short, they don't like the smell of turbid odors. Naturally, every household has means to isolate it.
Even the streets are very fresh.
The post envoy realized that this place was special, and saw that the streets on both sides were mostly splendid mansions. Some places with Taoist plaques were even more luxurious than their Yizhou prefect's mansion, so he unconsciously slowed down his horse.
In the Chen Mansion in the Evil Alley, Chen Xizhen was practicing in a quiet room. Suddenly, on a whim, he counted with his fingers and vaguely realized that it was related to the events in Quancheng and the people outside the mansion.
He immediately went out and flew out of the house. He saw that the street was empty except for a horse riding slowly. He was dressed as a post messenger. He stretched out his hand, stopped the man and the horse, and sucked the documents from the messenger's back through the air.
Liangshan bandit bandits gathered... Yun Tianbiao led an army to attack Liangshan and died... Liu Yongxi died... Quanzhou city fell...
Chen Xizhen glanced at the document, and his face suddenly turned green. He resisted not having an attack and read it carefully again.
Bang!
The documents were exploded into ashes, and the low and long sound of swords could be heard in the air around Chen Mansion. The breeze blew by, cutting off the fragrance outside the evil-fighting alley, and cutting off the green leaves on the branches at the end of the alley.
In the Wanshou Temple in Bianliang City, Liu Hunkang was enjoying the coolness under the moonlight, lying on a deck chair, and the courtyard was full of white cranes sleeping. Suddenly, several white cranes woke up and started chirping towards the evil-fighting alley.
Liu Hunkang opened his eyes and took a look, picked up the tea cup next to the wicker chair, picked up a little tea with his fingernails, flicked it into the wind, and then fell asleep again.
In the Fire Dragon Immortal Mansion granted by the emperor, Wang Laozhi was walking around the alchemy furnace, turning a deaf ear to the sound of the sword.
"Why hasn't the purple spirit sand from Cangshan Mine been delivered this year?"
That's all he cared about.
Many people in Bianliang City heard the sound of the sword, and Chen Xizhen's gang members hurried out and rushed to the Chen Mansion.
A group of Taoist officials and military generals walked quickly, and in an instant more than 40 people gathered outside Chen's mansion.
Gou Ying, the master of evil spirits, smelled the smell of blood and glanced at the messenger. He saw that the man was affected by the sound of swords and had seven or eight crisscrossed blood stains on his body. It looked unsightly, so he stretched out his hand, preparing to shoot him out of the alley. .
Suddenly, a drop of clear water fell from the air, carrying the fragrance of tea, and landed on the emissary's forehead. The water flowed all over his body, and the wound healed immediately.
Gou Ying recognized Liu Hunkang's scent in the tea. She had already stretched out her hand, and after thinking about it, she retracted it and did not look at the messenger.
Many generals nearby had already asked why Chen Xizhen was suddenly angry.
When Chen Xizhen told them what happened in Quancheng, everyone was shocked and disbelieving at first, and then became excited and clamored to send troops and horses to Liangshan to avenge Yun Tianbiao, Liu Yongxi and Liu Guang's family.
"Lieutenant Yun, my brother. True Liu Yongxi, my life-and-death friend. Brother Liu Guangxian, my brother!"
Chen Xizhen was filled with hatred and anger, and with tears in his eyes, he looked around at everyone and said, "This hatred is irreconcilable. When it gets light, I will go to the palace to ask for instructions from the officials. The brothers will go back and prepare magic weapons and armor to bid farewell to their families." , tomorrow, I will mobilize one hundred thousand troops to raze Liangshan to the ground."
Everyone said nothing and went home full of anger.
Gou Ying was filled with grief and anger, but showed a pensive attitude. She pulled Chen Xizhen and said, "Taozi, great revenge must be avenged, but what do you mean, do you want to bring your brothers with you to attack Liangshan?"
Chen Xizhen said: "Yes. The officials have great trust in us and there is no way they will not allow this."
"I'm not saying that the officials won't allow it, but the bandits in Liangshan are so ferocious. Even if we can lead our troops to conquer Liangshan, I'm afraid we will have to lose some of our old friends. Wouldn't it be even more painful at that time?"
Gou Ying said, "Daozi, it's okay for you to be the commander, but for the vanguard generals and so on, it's better to borrow a few figures from the border army and then command them to lead the army to kill. Even if they die for the imperial court, it will be a blessing for them."
Chen Xizhen thought about it carefully and nodded: "That's what Fellow Daoist Gou Ying said, but in this case, we might as well borrow some more things. The army has not moved, so food and grass go first. The border army has not been fighting recently anyway, and the food and grass allocated to them will be transferred to them." , please move some for us to use first, and then return them to them after conquering Liangshan."
Gou Ying repeatedly praised: "Taozi has great views, that's exactly what it is."
After they had discussed it, they waited for the sky to light up and entered the palace immediately.
However, Chen Xizhen's anger at night had already attracted the attention of many people. When he entered the palace, several ministers who had always disagreed with him were already waiting in the palace.
The emperor did not go to court today. The eunuchs in the palace stood on the side of the dragon chair, asking them to report something to the emperor.
When Chen Xizhen mentioned the matter of borrowing grain and grass from generals, Li Gang and others, who were rare loyal and upright ministers in the dynasty, immediately refuted him angrily.
"This is absolutely unacceptable."
Li Gang shouted, "Since Emperor Taizu and Emperor Taizong, it has been the wish of generations of ancestors of the Song Dynasty to regain the old land of Yanyun from the Liao Kingdom. After the break of summer, because the soldiers and horses were tired and the treasury was empty, they said they would rest for a few years."
"Now that the Song Dynasty has strong soldiers and horses, the national destiny of the Liao Kingdom is about to decline. This is a golden opportunity that comes only once in hundreds of years. It's just that the officials have not ordered the war for a long time. You actually want to borrow the generals and food and grass. What are your intentions? ?”
Chen Xizhen said calmly: "After all, the Liao Kingdom is a huge country thousands of miles away. It cannot be compared with Xixia. There is no reason to defeat it so easily. The reason why the border troops are so delayed in moving is because the officials are considering the people of the Song Dynasty."
"However, those generals spend their days leisurely among the border troops, and they don't look like military generals at all. I use them to fight against the grass bandits. It is the bounden duty of military generals. Li Gang, if you don't understand military affairs, don't speak out."
How could Li Gang and others agree to comply? After a dispute, the matter was settled and they could only wait for the emperor to make a decision.
After the disbandment of the dynasty, the ministers waited for three days, but still did not see the emperor issuing an edict on the matter. Chen Xizhen brought up the old matter again, and there was another argument.
After waiting for another two days, Chen Xizhen sneaked into the palace quietly and asked to see the emperor.
Then I learned that the emperor had been in seclusion for the past two days. After hearing about their dispute, he was also quite troubled.
In the imperial garden, the emperor said to Chen Xizhen: "Destroy Xixia and frighten Tubo. As long as I defeat the Liao Kingdom and regain the land of Yanyun, I will be the most brilliant emperor of the Song Dynasty who will shine through the ages and achieve unparalleled achievements since the Han and Tang Dynasties. Daozi, you just want to attack the grass bandits, why bother to use the border troops now?"
"The current achievements of the official family have directly matched those of the Tang Dynasty and Han Dynasties. There is no need to rush to break the Liao Dynasty. However, if those grassroots bandits are not eliminated, I am afraid that unscrupulous people from all over the world will follow suit. When the time comes, those grassroots people will have to fight for those grassroots ones. The thief added a few more strokes..."
Chen Xizhen's tongue was like a lotus flower, and the emperor's brows slightly furrowed after what he said, and he felt a little more disgusted with those unruly people.
It's a small thing to stain the annals of history. It's okay if there are some rumors among the people who don't know how to understand Tianxin. But if they rebel formally, it will damage the fortune of the dynasty and hinder his practice, which will be very unsightly. In the end, the emperor nodded slightly. , approved of this matter.
The next day, the emperor sent someone to the frontier army Han Shizhong's tent to issue an order.
