Chapter 171: The Crusade (4)

Seeing that everyone agreed to send troops, Chen Cheng said: "Since everyone is not opposed, then it is better to send troops." The art of war is cloudy: the three armies have not moved, and the grain and grass go first. Youyun: The soldiers gather with pay, and if there is no food, they will disperse. Yesterday, the household department reported an incident, which was related to this year's autumn grain, and everyone was here today, and they happened to discuss it together. Xu Shangshu, tell the big guy what happened. ”

"No!"

In the whispers and gazes of everyone, Xu Chao stood up unhurriedly, arched his hand towards Chen Cheng, and then said with a straight face: "Yesterday, the household department received news that the inn where the officials sent to Fuping to supervise the collection of autumn grain stayed was on fire, and all six officials were killed in the fire, and none of them were spared. ”

After finishing speaking, Xu Chao arched his hand to Chen Cheng again, and then sat down.

"How is this possible?" Yang Qiu was shocked in his heart, and shouted in panic, "How did I not know about this? ”

He turned to Xu Chao and said, "Is Xu Shangshu mistaken?" ”

Xu Chao glanced at him and said expressionlessly, "It's confirmed." ”

"This ........", Yang Qiu said urgently: "This is not me.......... I mean, walking on the water is a common thing, not necessarily ..... It's ......."

Facing Chen Cheng, who was not smiling, Yang Qiu suddenly felt frightened, and he couldn't continue to say the rest of the words. He stood in the lobby, looking left and right, trying to find the Aoku, but the people who were swept by his gaze were either looking left and right, or bowing their heads and saying nothing. Yang Qiu cursed secretly in his heart, pushed away the chair, walked to the center of the hall, bowed to the ground, and said, "There are many doubts in this matter, please send someone to investigate in detail!" ”

Chen Cheng said lightly: "I also think that I need to check it well, it just so happens that this time I will send troops south to fight Han Sui, Yang Shangshu can go to Fuping first, on the one hand, to rectify the soldiers and horses, prepare grain and grass, and on the other hand, you can also check this matter by the way to see if there is anything else in it." ”

Is this to deprive me of the post of secretary of the Ministry of War? Yang Qiu raised his head suddenly, "I ..........."

"Well, the affairs of the Ministry of War will be temporarily managed by Xu Wen, the squire of the Ministry of War."

Yan Zhong had already passed the anger with Chen Cheng in advance and knew the result of this treatment, so he kept smiling. Although Zhao Yun was not told what was going on, the orders given yesterday had already made him vaguely feel it. What happened in the lobby today did not surprise him.

The last time he assassinated Zhou Mu, he vaguely pointed to the Yang family after finding out, and Zhao Yun would not feel strange if anything happened. Lu Fang didn't know so much, seeing the sudden change in the situation, his heart set off a storm, but he was a little secretly glad: fortunately, he didn't get involved with Yang Qiu, otherwise, Yang Qiu would not be the only one who was unlucky today.

Then he thought that Chen Cheng asked him to be the Governor of the Northland, and his original intention was to divide Yang Qiu's authority, and it would be good if the two of them were not in the same position, where could they really get together?

Chen Cheng continued: "In order to cope with the next war, after discussing with Zhongshu Province and Shangshu Province, Fuzhong decided to recruit another 1,000 tooth soldiers this year. This recruitment was only recruited from the reservists and the guards of the government, of which 600 were recruited from the North Land County and 200 people were recruited from the Shuofang County and Gohara County each. ”

Yang Qiu couldn't hear what Chen Cheng was saying clearly, his mind was now in chaos, and his heart was full of anger and resentment. He knelt on the ground, his hands pressed against the floor, the anger in his chest as if it was about to explode.

Hateful! Hateful! He kept roaring in his heart, if it weren't for me Yang Qiu, how could Chen Cheng sit on it and give orders? If it weren't for me Yang Qiu, how could you sit in the position of Liangzhou Mu? Now that you have a firm foothold, do you want to cross the river and tear down the bridge?

I'm Yang Qiu, never, no, answer, answer!

It's hateful, it's very!

But along with anger and resentment, there is also trepidation and uneasiness. During his year in Yinchuan, he not only earned a lot of money, but also saw how Chen Cheng trained his troops. In just one year, the Liangzhou Army has made great progress, not only the military discipline has become much clearer, but the ordnance has also made great progress. Although the Ministry of Industry still regards the elongation tool as the center of gravity, as long as it waits for Ainian, the output of weapons and armor can be increased several times.

In this case, even if he is a big army, can he be on a par with Chen Cheng? I'm afraid it's hard!

Just when Yang Qiu's heart was mixed with anger and fear, he heard the sound of footsteps above, Chen Cheng walked down, helped him up, and said: "The soldiers are fast, Yang Shangshu can go back to Fuping first, and when I wait for the soldiers and horses to be gathered, I will immediately go south." ”

Yang Qiu was set up by Chen Cheng with one hand, and he couldn't help but feel at a loss again in his heart. If I really fight with the lord, can I win? Probably can't win, so is there anyone who will help? Cheng Yi ....... Cheng Yi probably won't help, so, so .......... Do you have to ask Han Sui for that old fox?

Chen Cheng didn't care what Yang Qiu thought in his heart, he patted Yang Qiu's shoulder and said, "Yang Shangshu, Yang Shangshu?" ”

Yang Qiu came back to his senses, hurriedly lowered his head, and said, "The minister is here!" ”

Before the words fell, he felt resentful and ashamed in his heart, the lord treated himself well, but ......... For a while, he didn't know what to do.

Chen Cheng said: "How did you lose your soul? Wait a minute, remember to bring all your silver coins. The Yang family has deep roots in Fuping, and those silver coins are just distributed to the relatives of the family. ”

Yang Qiu's heart was even more confused, Chen Cheng ..... What does this mean, Lord? Is it to deprive me of the post of secretary of the military department? Or is it really just for me to go back and look into the case? Today's surprise attack is a knock, but then there are words to appease, what kind of operation is this?

Until he returned home, he still couldn't figure out what Chen Cheng thought. But it doesn't matter if he doesn't understand, there is one person who definitely understands. Yang Qiu rebuked the concubines in the family, turned around and went to Yan Zhong's mansion. Yan Zhong was Chen Cheng's mastermind, and there was almost nothing that was not adopted. If you want to talk about Chen Cheng's understanding, who is better than Yan Bodao?

As soon as Yan Zhong sat down in the mansion, he heard a servant come to report: "Yang Qiu, the secretary of the military department, asks to see him." ”

He smiled and said in his heart: Yang Qiu came quickly. But this was also expected by him, so he said, "Invite him in." ”

After a while, there was the sound of footsteps under the eaves, and Yang Qiu walked in quickly. Yan Zhong pretended to be surprised and said, "Fang Cai and Yang Shangshu are separated, why are you in such a hurry to ask to see you?" ”

Yan Zhong doesn't like Hu Feng as much as Chen Cheng, and the futons at home are still placed, and they are not replaced by Hu tables and chairs. Yang Qiu knelt down and asked, "What does it mean that the lord suddenly ordered me to return to Fuping today and asked me to bring all the silver coins?" ”

Yan Zhong stroked his beard and said with a smile: "Such a simple thing, can't Yang Shangshu see it?" ”

Yang Qiu suppressed the anxiety in his heart and said, "Please teach me, sir!" ”

Yan Zhong didn't answer first, but asked, "The matter of burning the tax collectors, but Yang Shangshu instructed it?" ”

"What am I burning them for?" Yang Qiu said angrily: "Am I sick? The income from the silver mine alone is more than 10,000 yuan a month, and the price of grain has fallen this year, and a bucket is less than 20 yuan, how much grain is enough to buy 10,000 yuan? As for me to send someone to set fire to it for the sake of such a little autumn food? ”

Yan Zhong smiled: "Isn't this it?" Yang Shangshu will not kill people just for the sake of autumn food, of course Junhou also knows, so this is why you will return to Fuping first. ”

"But ........."

Yan Zhong continued: "Less than two years after the prince came to Liangzhou, he already had the territory of the three counties, the money and food under his command were sufficient, the soldiers were brave, and the princes were all coveted. If you were Han Sui, Zhang Heng and others, what would you think? ”

Yang Qiu suddenly said, "The meaning of the Zhongshu Order is that Han Sui and the others sent someone to set the fire?" ”

He then frowned again and asked, "But that doesn't make sense?" Didn't Han Sui call himself a minister? He now needs us to lead our troops to the east, so what's the benefit? ”

Yan Zhong said with a smile: "Han Sui is the Yellow River Nine Songs, where can others guess what he thinks?" Maybe he was afraid of the prince's ability to lead the troops, and he was afraid that we would occupy Guanzhong, so on the one hand, he asked us to join forces, and on the other hand, he wanted to add some chaos to us. ”

"I see!" Yang Qiu hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "Then the lord asked me to go back, is it just for me to thoroughly investigate the fire?" ”

Yan Zhong smiled and said, "What I said just now is just some speculation. I believe that Yang Shangshu will not set fire to people in a frenzy for a little autumn food, and the prince probably doesn't believe it, but who can guarantee this? Maybe Yang Shangshu will encourage people for a while........"

Yang Qiu hurriedly said: "Zhongshu Ling Shenyan!" How could I, Yang Qiu, be that kind of person? ”

Yan Zhong laughed and said: "Another meaning of the lord is that if you have great ambitions and are unwilling to be subordinated, then he will not embarrass you for the sake of the friendship between monarchs and ministers in the past, let you go back to rectify the soldiers and horses, and the two sides will fight on the battlefield in the future!" ”

Yang Qiu waved his hand again and again, and said, "The lord is like a god, how dare I have a rebellious heart?" ”

Yan Zhong stroked his beard and said with a smile: "It doesn't matter if I say this, and it doesn't count if the prince says it." ”

Yang Qiu hurriedly said: "It doesn't matter if the lord says it, so who has the final say?" ”

"It doesn't matter who says it, this kind of thing, of course, depends on Yang Shangshu's performance."

Yang Qiu: "What does the Zhongshu Order mean?" ”

"Handle the case beautifully, give an explanation to the prince, and let people not find fault." Yan Zhong blew the teacup and said, "A little foolishness, Yang Shangshu can listen to it, what to do, you still have to make your own decision." ”

Yang Qiu's heart was settled, he took two steps back, and then thanked him: "If it weren't for the Zhongshu order to solve the doubts, a certain would still be in the dark." ”

He raised his head and said, "Please tell the lord that after the minister returns to Fuping, he will definitely handle the matter, and then sweep the bed and wait for the lord!" ”

Waiting for Yang Qiu to leave in a hurry, Yan Zhong thought back to Yang Qiu's expression just now, and said in his heart: It seems that Yang Qiu really didn't do this, otherwise, then his city would be too deep.

There are very few "people" in Beidi County, and the people are either attached to Haoqiang or devote themselves to the guards and soldiers. After hearing that this year's tooth soldiers were recruited again, many people cheered, thinking that it was bad luck that they were not selected last year, or that they missed the time, so they lost the opportunity to eat meat every day.

In fact, they have some misunderstandings, although the tooth soldiers are constantly meaty, they don't eat meat every day, and they are eating fish, shrimp, crabs and the like many times.

But it's a pity that this year's tooth soldiers are only recruited from the guards and the existing soldiers, and if these civilian people and Haoqiang's children want to participate in the selection of the tooth soldiers, they must first join the army, and the township soldiers are not good, and they have to be county soldiers. However, the Huns in the north have been crippled, and Chengyi Ma Teng on the side has also surrendered, and there is no need for so many troops in the territory under Chen Cheng, and there is no plan to expand the army this year.

After a few days, the selection of the tooth soldiers had been completed, and the Qiang Hu Yi Cong from Shuofang County and Wuyuan County had also arrived, so Chen Cheng gathered 5,000 soldiers and horses in the north of Yinchuan City to swear an oath, and then personally led this soldier and horse to the south.