In fact, it is not surprising that the officials are content with the status quo. According to their opinion, the rebels are now strong and difficult to eliminate. It is already good to be able to defend Anshan. The rest is nothing but persistence and waiting.
As long as we hold on until next year, once the imperial army arrives, it will be a great achievement to protect the country and the people.
It's good to be able to build more meritorious deeds, but you also have to act within your capabilities. If you do it too hastily and use too much force, it may be counterproductive.
Although everyone has doubts, Yang Qing is the governor of a county after all and has a high position. He has spoken, and no matter how reluctant everyone is, they must implement it with heart.
As the chief official of the county, Wang Yi saw that no one responded to the eunuch's inquiry, so he had to come out to resolve the embarrassment: "Your Majesty has a long-term plan, and I can't wait. Please tell me directly, and we and other officials should try our best to do it."
Yang Qing smiled slightly and said: "Forget it, since you are so humble, I won't be polite. I have several wonderful methods for opening up the source of income, but the time has not come yet, so I will just say one thing. The prefect Wang of Jianwei has agreed with me that he will vigorously Please help us, so don’t worry about money and food issues, but according to today’s proposal, we will quickly implement the work-for-relief policy.”
This was true. He had already considered the method of open source. However, as he had just arrived, he was too weak and his grace and power were not enough. Some measures could not be implemented immediately, so he had to take them slowly.
He also knows what the local officials are thinking, but he believes that as long as they see the hope of making achievements in themselves, these people will gather under his command and work hard. After all, most people are still full of ambitions for official careers and want to make progress. .
"Wen Ran, in the next few days, you will take the lead and work with Wang Gongcao, Xie Hucao, Li Cangcao and the Lu County magistrate to draw up the specific regulations for work-for-relief." Yang Qing told Yang Xi.
Yang Xi knew that this was an opportunity given to him by the prefect, and he immediately bowed and responded: "Promise, the play must be completed quickly to live up to the expectations of the prince."
"Okay, this matter will be discussed here today. You can go your own way after you leave." Yang Qing waved his hand to let everyone disperse. Suddenly he thought of something and called out another person: "Huo Bingcao will stay for now. I I have something important to discuss with you."
Bing Cao Huo Jian stepped forward and was about to go out, but suddenly heard the prefect calling him to stop him, and hurriedly put his feet back. His body staggered a little because of his too fast movements. Fortunately, he reacted quickly and caught him in time. The gate on the right.
Wiping the sweat on his forehead with his sleeve, he quickly turned around and walked back to the hall, standing respectfully with his head lowered, waiting for Yang Qing's instructions.
"Huo Bingcao, you are in charge of the military affairs. How many soldiers and horses are there in the city?"
Huo Jian sighed and said: "Master Fu, since Gaoding united with Yongkai to rebel, our more than 3,000 county soldiers in Yuexi have suffered many losses in resisting the barbarian soldiers. Now there are only 853 people left in the city. .”
Yang Qing nodded slightly. The number was similar to what he estimated. Governor Gong had more than a thousand troops at the time. However, since Gaoding suddenly launched an attack not long ago, many soldiers from the county were killed. Now there are only less than two soldiers left. of men and horses.
Since the Han Dynasty, the most important officials in local counties and counties have been the prefect, the captain, and the censor. The prefect governs the people, the captain governs the army, and the censor is responsible for supervision.
The rank of a captain was higher than two thousand stones, and he was in charge of the military affairs of a county. Although he was only half a rank lower than the prefect in terms of status, he was still controlled by the prefect, so that later it often happened that the prefect also served as the captain.
Of course, the censors were no longer dispatched in the first year of Emperor Wu's Yuanfeng reign. From then on, they were used as censors to supervise officials with a rank of more than 600 shi in prefectures and counties.
Therefore, in the early Han Dynasty, most of the county soldiers were directly commanded by captains. After the Guangwu Zhongxing, the imperial court implemented the policy of dismissing county soldiers and resting with the people. In the sixth year of Jianwu, the imperial court issued an edict that the captains of all provinces and counties should be concurrently appointed as prefects. There would be no capital examination. The functions of captains would be merged into those of prefects, and the annual military examinations of counties and soldiers would be cancelled.
This made the county soldiers directly under the command of the prefect, and the number and training of the county soldiers were greatly reduced. However, in fact, in the later Han Dynasty, there were no county captains in the interior to lead the troops, but in border counties, there were sometimes captains or vassal captains to lead the troops and administer the counties.
However, although Yueqi County is a border county, it has not yet set up a captain. The county soldiers are directly under the control of the prefect, so Yang Qing, the county governor, actually has military and political power in his hands.
Moreover, he also deeply understood the principle of the great men of later generations saying that political power is brought about by the barrel of a gun. If he wanted to make some achievements in Yuexi, he must first firmly grasp the military power. Only in this way can the people below him truly Listen and implement.
Therefore, even though this was his second day in Yuexi, he decided to take advantage of Dayi as the governor to control the county soldiers in the city before everyone could react.
"More than eight hundred people are really too few. If the Yi people come to attack the city again, I'm afraid it will be difficult to resist." Yang Qing said: "Therefore, we have to recruit a group of young men to join the army before we can sleep peacefully. Huo Bingcao thought that Or not?"
If he wanted to take charge of the army, Huo Jian, as a subordinate in charge of military affairs in the county government, could not be avoided, so Yang Qing hoped that this person could keep pace with him.
Huo Jian is also an extremely smart person and understands Yang Qing's temptation. He is not from this county and has little connection with the local wealthy family.
Seeing that the eunuch was interested in wooing him, he immediately said firmly: "The prince of Huifu has already taken this position in his humble position. It's just that since the death of the prefect Gong, we, the county officials without a leader, dare not make the decision easily. Fortunately, the prince of the mansion has arrived now. I am willing to saddle the horses in front and behind for the king of the government, and do the work of dogs and horses."
Yang Qing was very satisfied when he saw that this man was so successful. He smiled and said: "Huo Bingcao has such a good intention. You also have to worry about selecting young people from the refugees. You can discuss the details with Chief Yang and the others. .”
Huo Jian replied: "Yes, I will do my best despite my humble position."
"By the way, I was talking about Governor Gong just now, and I remembered that Huo Bingcao was also one of the few people who were lucky enough to break out. Now that I have time, please tell me about the situation that day." Yang Qing suddenly changed his subject and said: " Although you made a report and submitted it to Chengdu afterwards, the meaning in the words is not as detailed as what you, the person involved, can say."
Seeing that Yang Qing suddenly asked about this matter, Huo Jian pondered for a while, and then carefully reported to him the specific situation of that day. What he said was roughly the same as the report, but more detailed. Through his account, Yang Qing knew more about the Yi people's attack on Gong Lu.
After listening, Yang Qing sighed deeply and said with emotion: "Oh, I didn't expect the barbarians to be so cruel. It is a pity that Governor Gong was killed by the barbarian soldiers soon after arriving in the county. But fortunately, God bless, Huo Bingcao and Lei Quchang were lucky It is truly auspicious to escape from difficulties."
Huo Jian waved his hand and said with a wry smile: "It was because of my humble position that I was familiar with the local routes, so I had a chance to escape." Yang Qing nodded secretly after hearing this. Dozens of them were surrounded by hundreds of enemy troops on the mountain. It was really difficult to resist. Gong Lu ordered them to disperse and break out. It is also the only way to survive.
Huo Jian, Gong Lu and a village commander each led a group of soldiers to escape in three directions. It seems that most of the attention of the Yi people was on Gong Lu, the prefect, so Huo Jian had fewer pursuers along this way, so he had a chance to survive. Bar.
Seeing that what he wanted to know had been understood clearly, Yang Qing talked with Huo Jian for a while, until Shen Da asked to see him for something, then he asked him to leave.
