From Haidong to Huguang Ezhou, there are two routes. The first is to go to Guangzhou first and cross the river to the northwest. The distance seems closer, but it takes longer. Another route is to go north to Songjiang and enter the Yangtze River to the west. It seems more winding, but it arrives faster.

Therefore, Li Luo chose to take the Yangtze River.

On 14 August, Li Luo's official ship arrived at Songjiang Mansion, where the mouth of the Yangtze River is located, and did not stop, but passed through Chongming and traced it to the west.

At this time, the Yangtze River has more abundant water, wider river surface, and deeper water. Although Li Luo's official ship was a sea vessel, it was still unimpeded.

On the 15th, when he arrived in Jiangyin, he was intercepted by the Yuan Army's Jiang Waterproof Division. However, when he saw Li Luo's flat chapter hall seal, he immediately respectfully let him go.

Li Luo stood on the official boat and saw the Jiang waterproof master not far away, his eyes were very gloomy.

Jiangyin is an important town of river defense, and originally stationed a thousand households of the naval army. But because a lot of them were dispatched to the expedition before, now there are only four or five hundred people left, dozens of small warships, and they can only maintain the security of the river checkpoints.

It seems that there is nothing to worry about, but there are dozens of Yuan army sailors stationed along the Yangtze River, and there are still more than 10,000 people in the Yangtze River sailors.

This is still now, and before the two conquests of Japan, there were as many as 40,000 or 50,000 sailors on the Yangtze River.

The Yangtze River Naval Division was established by Liu Quan, a general of the Southern Song Dynasty, with the help of the Yuan Court, and he made great efforts to destroy the Song Dynasty that year.

Although the Southern Song Dynasty has now been destroyed, the Yuan court still attaches great importance to the defense of the Yangtze River, and also established the Yangtze River Naval Army Zhenfu Division. Today's envoy is Wu Chi Yage, who guards Jiezhou, Huangzhou, Jiangzhou, Jiankang, Zhenjiang, Jiangyin and other places along the Yangtze River.

There are also Chengdu Naval Army Wanhu Institute in Sichuan, which is led by Wanhu Suge, and is divided into Chongqing and Chongqing, Kui, Shi, Guizhou, Zhong, Wan, Yun, Lu and other prefectures.

In order to achieve the strategy of the Tang Army, it is necessary to first kill the Yangtze River Naval Division. In this regard, Li Luo was 100% sure and quickly solved the Yangtze River Naval Division of the Yuan Army with the posture of a lion fighting a rabbit.

Now the Yuan court is rushing to build warships to restore the strength of the sailors. When Li Luo was in Pingzhang in Fujian Province before, he played the Yuan Court, and the Quanzhou Shipyard undertook most of the shipbuilding tasks.

The reason is that Fujian is defended by the most powerful Fujian sailors of the Yuan court today, and they can protect the new ships from being taken away by the remnants of the Song sailors.

Quanzhou was originally the largest shipyard, so the Yuan court allowed Li Luo to play. At most, there will be half a year, and hundreds of large and small warships undertaken by Quanzhou Shipyard will be delivered in a unified manner.

Of course, Li Luo would definitely not let so many new ships be in the hands of Yuan Jun. Isn't the boat built in Quanzhou his? Because the Fujian Navy Division is under his control, the middle and senior officers are all his people.

Not only hundreds of new ships are to be obtained, but thousands of shipwrights from the Quanzhou shipyard are also to be robbed. The Yuan court lost the most important shipyard in Quanzhou, and it was even more difficult to rebuild the sailors.

Although Li Luo's official ship is a guard of honor in Pingzhang, every place he goes, there are still Yuan army sailors to check to prevent impersonation.

There are many merchant ships on the Yangtze River, but every time they pass a water card, they have to be plucked by the sailors of the Yuan army and blackmailed in every way. There were also many merchant ships that would not pay, and these ships were all owned by the powerful without exception.

There were even a few ships that were not inspected at all, but were directly released. This is not only the ship of the powerful, but must also be familiar with the sailors.

At this time, Li Luo couldn't help but smile when he saw a big ship sailing past without being inspected.

Why? Because this big ship bears the flag of Luoning Trading Company, it is simply his own ship.

The powerful man behind Luoning's merchant ships is, of course, Li Luo. As early as last year, Cui Xiuning used the name of Li Luojiang Huajun Gong and Fujian Pingzhang to establish the Yangtze River caravan.

In the first few times, the Yuan Junjiang waterproof division would board the ship for inspection. But more than a year later, the ships of the Luoning Trading Company have long become one of the few ships that do not need to be inspected and do not have to pay money.

Until now, Luoning Merchant Ships is still really doing business, and the goods they handle are nothing more than bulk goods such as cotton cloth, sea salt, and sea fish.

"My lord, it seems that it can be used to transport soldiers and ordnance." Yang Bai, who was newly appointed as one of the captains of the guard, said.

Yan Falcon, Yan Duo, Liu Dadao and several other personal guard captains were all transferred to the firearms brigade as regimental commanders. This Yang Li, who was originally the head of the guard, has been following Li Luo for more than three years, and now he is finally the captain.

Li Luo nodded. Today, there are six 500-material transport ships on the Yangtze River in Luoning, which can smuggle more than 3,000 people each time. If it is transported up to three times a month, then 20,000 soldiers and horses need to be transported for half a year.

Can I add a boat? No.

A caravan of six ships, already huge. If there are too many ships, it is easy to arouse suspicion.

It can only rely on the way ants move, a little luck.

Nearly ten times of transportation, not a single one can be detected by the Yuan Junjiang waterproof division.

Therefore, the method adopted by Li Luo was to disguise the transported soldiers as slaves, and even if any of them were boarded and inspected by the sailors, they were just slaves, and no one had anything to say.

Then, before that, ordnance and armor could not be transported, and people and armor had to be transported separately.

On August 22, after a full ten days of sailing, Li Luo finally arrived in Ezhou on the south bank of the Yangtze River.

Ezhou is the provincial seat of Huguangxing, although it is close to the Yangtze River, but Ezhou City is far away from the river.

To get to the city, there are still fifty or sixty miles.

Li Luo got off the boat at the Ezhou wharf, hundreds of people changed to cars and horses, and finally came to the city of Ezhou before sunset.

Li Luo looked at the huge city under the sunset, and his heart fluctuated slightly.

Ezhou "can aid Shu in the west, Huai in the east, Jinghu in the north, and Han water in the south", the location is dangerous, and Xiangyang and Jingzhou constitute a triangular "Jinghu defense area", which belongs to the military town, Yue Fei and Jia Rudao have garrisoned here. When the Yuan army destroyed the Song Dynasty, Ezhou had several major wars.

Therefore, the Yuanting Huguang Heavy Army Group was arranged in the Jinghu Defense Area composed of Ezhou, Xiangyang, and Jingzhou (Jiangling). The Yuan army in the Jinghu defense area was as high as more than 100,000, and most of them were elite soldiers. Even if Li Luo Zhengyue transferred tens of thousands, the Yuan army in this area still had as many as seventy or eighty thousand.

According to the deduction of Li Luo, Wen Tianxiang and others, once the Tang army raised troops, it must take the Jinghu defense area and eliminate the Jinghu Yuan army, otherwise the form would easily deteriorate.

As soon as Li Luo's guard of honor appeared under the city, he immediately alarmed the generals defending the city.

They have long known that Li Luo, the Duke of Yueguo, has succeeded Ali Hague Pingzhang and will come to Ezhou to take up his post this month.

Then the person who came must be Yue Guogong.

In the city of Ezhou, Huguang Province's right Cheng Hudu Timur, the left Cheng Da Dali, the right political participation Yi Si Ma Yin, the left political participation Gao Gao and others (all real people) went out of the city together to greet them.

Among the people who greeted him, there was an acquaintance, who was Chen Yiji, the head of Ezhou Road and the king of Jiaozhou, who came to Ezhou first.

Chen Yiji was overjoyed when he saw Li Luo coming. The backer is finally here.

"Morgenbatu! You're here! I, Kudu Timur, am in a hurry to wait! ”

Among the officials who greeted Li Luo, the leader was a middle-aged Mongolian official in a white grandson suit, who was the second-in-command right Cheng Kudu Timur. He stroked his chest and saluted, and his words were very bold.

But Li Luo knew that this Kudu Timur was not a good bird.

The spies of the Special Investigation Bureau took advantage of his jealousy of Ali Hague to participate in the previous Pingzhang Ali Hague.

Kudu Timur fell to Ali Hague, and was dreaming of taking over the leader, who knew that the imperial court had parachuted Li Luo, the Duke of Yueguo, and it was strange that he could be happy.

You can tell from his name. He didn't call Li Luo Zhongtang, not even Pingzhang Guanren, but directly called Morgen Badu.

According to the report of the spies of Youcheng's official residence, as early as when Li Luo arrived in Ezhou under the order of Huguang Pingzhang, Kudu Timur scolded and whipped a slave to death.

"It's hard work for the right official to wait for this hall." Li Luo said nonchalantly. He is too lazy to deal with this deputy, even if he gives up all the power to the other party, he just wants to do his own thing.

Compared with the resistance of Kudu Timur, Zuo Cheng Da Li, who was also a Mongolian nobleman, was more respectful to Li Luo.

"Huguang Zuo Cheng Da Li, I have seen Pingzhang officials! The hardships of the Pingzhang officials on the road are like the warriors of the expedition who pass through the Gobi and come back with wind and sand! Da Dali stroked his chest and said, "Da Dali admires the Pingzhang officials very much. Seeing the Pingzhang officials, Da Dali was very happy! ”

"Thank you, my Dadali, for your enthusiasm." Li Luo was not disgusted by this Dada.

This person Li Luo also knew that Da Dali was kind and straightforward, and once volunteered to go to Xiangyang to persuade Lu Wenhuan to surrender.

"The right official participates in politics and thinks about Ma Yin, and I have seen Pingzhang officials!" A high-nosed and dark-eyed official also stepped forward to pay a respect.

Li Luo couldn't help but squint his eyes. This Yisi Ma Yin was originally a craftsman, and because of his meritorious contribution to the return of the artillery, he did the right to participate in politics.

"Xiaguan Zuo's participation in politics is as high as Timur, and he has seen Zhongtang!" Zuo participated in politics Gaoda, was a minister of the Southern Song Dynasty, because he was a Han Chinese, and only Zuo participated in politics, so he was even more respectful to Li Luo, and he was directly called Zhongtang.

"Xiaguan Chen Yiji, I've seen the general!" Chen Yiji still calls Li Luo a general, which seems to be deliberately showing that his relationship with Li Luo is different.

Li Luo smiled: "The king of Jiaozhou is a prince, don't be so polite." ”

When everyone heard this, they all looked disdainful. Obviously, he sneered at Chen Yiji, the king of Jiaozhou.

Li Luo stopped talking nonsense, and took out the seal letter of the Ping Chapter Hall according to the rules and asked the officials to check them one by one to verify his identity.

Then, surrounded by officials of the Pingzhang Prefecture, he entered the city.

Ezhou City, as the provincial seat of Huguangxing, is of course a big city, and the city is also very lively.

Li Luo came directly to the Pingzhang Hall, changed into the official uniform of a first-class officer, and ordered the hall to discuss.

is so vigorous and resolute, even the wind banquet does not eat, which really surprised the officials.

Although it was already dusk at this time, and the banquet was also ordered, but Pingzhang's political affairs were to be promoted to the court, and they could only obey the order.

Provincial officials rushed in, arranged according to the size of their official positions, and there were dozens of them. Li Luo's personal soldiers and the guards who belonged to Pingzhang guarded the inside and outside of the yamen.

On one side, the ya-card of "Qin's order to go to the lake Guangping Zhangshi", and on the other hand, the ya-card of "Yueguo Gong Li", one left and one right, stand on the lobby.

"Ladies and gentlemen. In fact, the main hall is reluctant to come to Huguang. Li Luo spoke in surprise.

"I think you've all heard about this church. In recent years, the main church conquered Japan in the east, ruled Fujian, exterminated Huanghua Chen Shuzhen, and conquered Annam in the south. To put it mildly, it's really hard to have a few days of leisure. ”

Li Luo said as he walked down the hall and paced up the hall with his hands behind his back.

"Therefore, the main hall originally wanted to serve in Beijing, and it was also convenient to return to Inju to visit relatives. Unfortunately, Ali Hague did something bad and was dismissed from Hu Guangpingzhang. Who would have thought that the crown prince and the unconstitutional platform both nominated the main hall to take over, and the Great Khan appointed me. ”

"The Great Khan decreed, of course, the parish can only be loyal to the king, and there is no reason to shirk it. When he left Beijing, the Great Khan summoned him. The main hall said to the Great Khan that although Ali Hague was guilty, he would have nothing to do with anyone else, and that Huguang's government affairs and taxes were also good. ”

"The Great Khan said to me, there is one thing that must be paid attention to when going to Huguang, and must not cause a great disturbance. The reason why you are asked to take up a post in Huguang is also because you are suitable to deal with this matter, and if this matter is done, you can return to Beijing. Guess what the Great Khan is referring to? ”

These words are not Li Luo's exaggerations. Kublai Khan did mention that incident to him, and let him regard it as the first priority, and he must solve the hidden danger.

Of course, the reason why Kublai Khan knew about that incident was also the masterpiece of the Special Investigation Bureau, which was deliberately revealed.

Chen Yiji had the intention to curry favor, and first came out to speculate: "General, isn't it a matter of disaster relief?" He was referring to the autumn floods on the Yangtze River, which have now inundated several states and counties, displacing hundreds of thousands of people.

Li Luo shook his head. Counting on the Yuan Court for disaster relief? What a naivety.

Zuo Shenzheng guessed: "What Zhongtang said, isn't it a matter of water thieves in Dongting Lake?" ”

Dongting Lake now has anti-thieves gathering for thieves, the momentum is huge, many times ashore robbery, the government repeatedly encircled and suppressed, very headache.

Li Luo shook his head, "The Dongting water thieves are not a big problem. ”

Da Dali stood out and said: "Pingzhang official, are you talking about the Lingnan plague?" ”

In the Yuan Dynasty, Huguang Province was very large, and it governed Hunan, Hubei, Guangdong, Guangxi, and most of Guizhou in later generations. Therefore, of course, the Lingnan plague is also something that Huguang Province should worry about.

Li Luo said: "Although the Lingnan plague is not a trivial matter, it is not the first priority. ”

Everyone is a little puzzled, Huguang's taxes are not less, and there is no major anti-thief rebellion, so what else can be done?

Li Luo saw that everyone's curiosity was hanged, so he spit out three words with a solemn face: "White Lotus Sect!" ”

White Lotus Sect?

Everyone was shocked and thoughtful. Who doesn't know the White Lotus Sect? This religion has a great influence among the people, from officials and nobles to peddlers and pawns, and many of them are followers of the White Lotus Sect.

However, the White Lotus Sect is not making much trouble now. There are also rumors in the imperial court that it recognizes the White Lotus Sect and will also give it the title of the head of the sect.

The White Lotus Church has become a big disaster for the imperial court?

Li Luo proposed the White Lotus Sect, of course, he didn't exterminate the White Lotus Sect by himself, so that he would not let himself be stained again, let alone offend the Han rebel army.

He just wanted to use this as a cover to cover up his plan to hide from the world.

With the excuse of the White Lotus Sect, he can do many things openly and honestly in the name of the official.

"Ladies and gentlemen, there is news that you may not know yet." Li Luo said a little unfathomably, "The main altar of the White Lotus Sect in the four provinces of Fujian, Jiangxi, Huguang, and Sichuan has already joined forces. This is the news that the Great Khan told the parishion. Just this year's Dragon Boat Festival, the leaders of the White Lotus Sect of the four provinces gathered in Jiangling (Jingzhou) with bad intentions! ”

What Li Luo said is of course true. However, the reason why the White Lotus Sect of the four provinces converged was promoted by Li Luo.

To be precise, it was Cui Xiuning's guidance of the secret agents of the Special Investigation Bureau who were lurking in the White Lotus Sect to promote it, which can be regarded as changing history.

Two years ago, the Special Investigation Bureau began to lay out a plan against the White Lotus Sect. The provincial general altar has all spies infiltrated. And almost all of them have become middle and upper-class, and some have even become one of the leaders of the general altar.

The students selected by Cui Xiuning were originally top-notch, and after her personal training and guidance, which one of them graduated was not an elite? Coupled with financial and intelligence support, once you enter an organization like the White Lotus Sect, it is difficult to think of it. Basically, he was quickly promoted and became an upstart in the church.

It was these spies who secretly manipulated and promoted the confluence of the White Lotus Sect decades in advance.

Then, Li Luo deliberately let people leak this news to the Yuan Court, so that the Yuan Court was vigilant, so as to target the White Lotus Sect and force it to rebel in advance!

In this way, you will be able to fish in troubled waters better.

This year's White Lotus Sect Dragon Boat Festival Secret Meeting of the Four Provinces has established the General Altar of the Four Provinces as the South Altar, and elected the most powerful Buddha of the Huguang General Altar as the Lord of the Big Buddha, secretly training soldiers and horses, building armaments, and accumulating grain and grass.

Under the impetus of the spies, the White Lotus Sect at this time was indeed iron-hearted.

What surprised Li Luo even more was that after the integration of the four provinces, the original Buddha girl of the Fujian General Altar, that is, the little girl who had been mixed with him, Xin Qiji's great-grandson, became the big Buddha girl of the White Lotus Sect in the four provinces.

According to the spy report, during the Dragon Boat Festival, the Buddhist women of the four provinces ran for the Big Buddha Girl, and the youngest overwhelmed the three "sisters" and became the Big Buddha Girl.

That is, the Buddha girl who is jointly worshiped by the White Lotus Sect in the four provinces.

Li Luo was very impressed when he found out. After he stepped down from Fujian Pingzhang, he led the army to the south, and he didn't take care of that little girl. Who knew that she quietly became a big Buddha girl.

The hard work is no longer in Quanzhou, Fujian, but to Jiangling, the general altar of the four provinces, which is not too far from Ezhou.

At this time, Timur said: "Yue Guogong, since the White Lotus Sect wants to rebel, let's do it first." Kill them all, and there will be no rebellion! ”

Da Dali said: "It's not appropriate for the right official. The White Lotus Sect has not been reversed yet, who knows who the White Lotus Sect is? How to catch? Catch whom? Isn't this a blind hunter, shooting at night? ”

Li Luo sneered: "The believers of the four provinces of the White Lotus Sect are no less than a million!" Kill today, and you will reverse tomorrow! The Huguang White Lotus Sect is the most powerful, and when the time comes, can I still have a good Huguang? The court didn't know, and thought that it was us who forced the White Lotus Sect to rebel! I'm not waiting for anyone! ”

"Besides, there are only more than 100,000 soldiers and horses in Huguang Province now, and they may not be able to hold it down by then! What will be the consequences if it cannot be suppressed? ”

"Therefore, before dealing with the White Lotus Sect, we must first take precautions and be prepared. There are some things that the parish will handle personally. When you go back, you will write a statement and brainstorm to see if there is any way to eliminate the hidden danger. Of course, it's best if you don't have to fight. ”

"Leave the church, everyone's statement, be sure to submit it to the parish the day after tomorrow! Also, what is discussed today must not be spread to the outside world, so as not to reach the ears of the followers of the White Lotus Sect, and the violators will be severely punished! Did you hear it all? ”

"Wow!" Everyone received their orders together. Only Kudu Timur did not react.

"Kudu Timur! If you hear what this church says, say it! Are your ears choked with wool? ”

Li Luo said with a cold expression, not giving face to this second-in-command, a Mongolian nobleman, at all.

"Yue Guogong, you..." Kudu Timur couldn't imagine that Li Luo was so unpretentious, and suddenly became a little annoyed and angry, and wanted to turn his face in front of the court.

But when he saw Li Luo's face that seemed to be smiling, he didn't know why his heart suddenly burst out, and he didn't dare to be presumptuous.

"Wow!" Kudu Timur had no choice but to swallow his anger and accept the order, but he was very angry in his heart.

Li Luo sneered and glanced at Dudu Timur. He did this, of course, deliberately to provoke the other party.

Angering his own deputy is also a step in the plan.

As soon as Li Luo took office, he threw out the big burden of the White Lotus Sect, and the officials were suddenly in no mood. The reception banquet can only be stopped.

This new official is not easy to serve. Sure enough, it was the former general of the expedition to the south.

On the second night of Li Luo's stay in Pingzhang's mansion, a little girl came to Pingzhang's mansion, she crossed her waist and said to the soldiers in a somewhat domineering manner: "My name is hard work, I am the personal maid of Pingzhang's big official, let me in!" ”

The guard Yang Yu came to report to Li Luoyu: "Lord, that little girl called hard work is here again." She told the gatekeeper that she was the personal maid of the lord. ”

Li Luo suddenly laughed dumbly.

This little thing, I heard that I was Hu Guangpingzhang, so I found it again?

That's great. I can't wait for you to come.

PS: There are really too few monthly passes and recommendation tickets, so I can't lift my spirits. Everyone, if you can give a vote, I've been running naked, and I rely on the votes to rank the list. Without monthly passes and recommended tickets, there is not even a trace of gaps. Crying and begging!

Qingyi literature