Chapter 598: A serious blackmail

The division of Huangyang Road and Beihui Road is somewhat different from the division of other roads, the division of other roads is basically divided by mountains and rivers, but there are too many rivers in the southwest, but there are few mountains, after the Great Sui laid down the Shang State, the Shang State was divided into four roads, which was divided according to the map of the Shang State, and the Great Sui Emperor at that time was divided according to the number of counties, so there was no danger from Huangyang Road to Beihui Road, and the few strong cities that stopped in front of the Black Flag Army were those strong cities.

Luo Yao's purpose is very clear, and now it seems that he is going to fight Chang'an City, so the cities and counties along the way are all ignored, and the million-strong army let go of its speed and goes to Jiangbei Province to kill in one go.

And Fang Xie is different, he doesn't want a city.

Therefore, if you want to take the southwest of the Great Sui into your arms, you must fight city by city. Liangcheng is a big city with a history of several hundred years, it was an important town of the Shang State during the Shang State, and in order to prepare for the increasingly powerful Great Sui, the Shang State arranged heavy troops in Liangcheng. It's a pity that the Shang State has rotted to the roots, although the deployment of heavy troops in the north will not be able to make any arrangements, because the soldiers have been extremely disappointed in the imperial court, and no one is willing to fight to the death, so that when the Sui army went south, these important towns in the north hardly brought any trouble to the Sui army.

However, the strategy of the Sui army at that time was to attract the main force of the Shang army to a decisive battle south of the Yangtze River with a large army, and then Luo Yao led the army to bypass behind the Shang army and approach Yongzhou. At the time of the fall of Yongzhou, two-thirds of the Shang state had not been conquered by the Sui army.

Immediately followed by the decisive battle on the bank of the Yangtze River ended with a great victory for the Sui army, Luo Yao invaded the capital again, and all parts of the Shang Kingdom surrendered, because the people were squeezed so badly, there were many places where the Sui army tied up the local officials before the people arrived and then opened the door to surrender.

Therefore, the people in the southwest have hatred for the Great Sui and feelings for the Great Sui.

Because there were too many people killed by Luo Yao in Yongzhou City, the people near Yongzhou were mostly in awe of the Great Sui from beginning to end. However, in those places where they surrendered, the people felt that life was much better than before after belonging to the Great Sui. After all, after the destruction of the Shang Dynasty, the Great Sui Emperor at that time issued many decrees that were beneficial to the people.

More than a hundred years have passed.

It seemed that war was about to befall the rich southwest once again.

This time is different from the last time, the last time it was a confrontation between countries, this time, it is Fang Jie's division in order to expand his own strength. If you want to subdue the four southwestern provinces, you must show the strength to make those people afraid, don't fight a few beautiful battles and kill a few stubborn people, after all, you can't scare those local officials who have already trained their courage under Luo Yao.

Wherever the Sui army went, many Shang people opened the door and surrendered, but Fang Xie led his troops south, and there would be no such thing.

Before entering the army, Fang Xie sent a handwritten letter to Zhong Xin, the governor of Beihui Province, telling Zhong Xin that if he was willing to declare that Beihui Province would henceforth be under the jurisdiction of the Black Flag Army, and was willing to sacrifice enough money and food, then the Black Flag Army could go south without raising troops and provide protection for Beihui Province. If Zhong Xin is unwilling to do this, it is okay, and the Black Flag Army will take Beihui Dao in a more direct way.

Zhong Xin's reply to Fang Xie came quickly, and in only twenty days, his cronies brought his handwritten letter to the Zhuque Mountain Village.

The person who came claimed to be Niu Tam, and he was a powerful staff member under Zhong Xin. Just looking at the name will make people think that he is a reckless man in the village who can't read big characters, but where does this person have a little bullish appearance, he looks very thin, about more than one meter seven tall, and it is good to have a hundred catties. His clothes were loose and loose on him, and he looked like he could fall down with a gust of wind.

Goat-faced goatee, but surnamed Niu.

Fang Jie, who was sitting in the handsome position, took out the letter and unfolded it to look at it, and found that it was very sincere between the lines, but Zhong Xin naturally would not give Beihui Dao so easily, after all, he was still a person from Luo Yao, the king of Yong. Zhong Xin meant that he was the governor of the Great Sui Dynasty, and he had the responsibility of defending the land and loving the people, and he did not dare to easily welcome the Black Flag Army to take over Beihui Province. However, if the Black Flag Army is short of money, food and materials, he is willing to negotiate with the famous families of Beihui Province to raise a batch of grain and grass to send to Huangyang Road.

Along with this letter, he handed it to Fang Xie and a gift list.

Fang Xie unfolded the gift list after reading the letter, and couldn't help but smile.

This Governor Zhong Xinzhong made a generous move, and gave 20 Dongzhu, 5,000 taels of gold, 10,000 taels of silver, two genuine calligraphy and paintings of everyone in the previous dynasty, a four-foot-high red coral, and some gadgets, the total price of which was more than 70,000 taels of silver.

"It is said that the southwest is rich, and a look at this gift list can prove that this is true."

Fang Xie smiled and handed the gift list to Wu Yiyi: "Lord Zhong buys peace, but he is willing to spend silver." But ......"

Fang Xie glanced at Niu Tam, and his tone turned slightly cold: "Lord Zhong doesn't seem to know what's going on...... He said that he was a governor of the Great Sui and had the responsibility of guarding the land and loving the people, which naturally goes without saying, does Lord Zhong still need to remind me of this? My Black Flag Army was built by His Majesty himself, and I was ordered by His Majesty to take the Black Flag Army to protect the southwest of the Great Sui, and I want to enter the North Hui Road, which is to clear out the southwest bandits by holy order, how can I ...... Could it be that Lord Zhong treats me as a bandit? He actually plans to spend a lot of money to buy peace, or is he a bandit! ”

This cold drink startled Niu Tamp, and he hurriedly lowered his head and said: "What the Governor means is actually that Beihui Road is too safe and stable, and there are no thieves under the Governor's rule. The general led his army to the north to work hard, and the governor specially asked me to give him more condolences. What the Governor meant was that since there were no thieves in Beihui Province, the general didn't have to ......."

He glanced at Fang Jie's face and said cautiously: "The Governor said that the army goes south to cost money and food, and the soldiers also work hard, and the general works even harder, since the North Hui Road is safe, there is no need for the general to go again." Moreover, the life of the people in the southwest has been hard over the years, and Beihui Road has suffered a great drought that has not been encountered in a century, and even if the general leads the army south, he is afraid that the gains will outweigh the losses......"

"For the sake of the people of Beihui Province, as long as the general does not lead the army south, the Governor and the lords of the families of Beihui Province will naturally be grateful to the adults. If it's a general......"

"How?"

Fang Xie smiled and asked, "If I insist on going my own way, then it will be tantamount to offending him Zhong Xin and those famous families of Beihui Dao?" ”

"No, no, no!"

Zhong Xin hurriedly said: "What the general means is that if you don't bother, you won't be troublesome." After all...... At the beginning, it was Luo Yao, the king of Yong, who guarded the North Hui Road, right? ”

Fang Jie's face turned cold when he heard this, and he slapped the handsome case: "Fork this chaotic minister and thief down for me, and beat fifty military sticks!" ”

……

……

Niu Tam was so frightened that his body trembled, and he hurriedly begged for mercy: "The general is angry, the general, please be angry!" The lowly post is only on the order of the governor of my family, and the general should listen to the lowly general's words. ”

Fang Xie pointed at him and said angrily: "The anti-thief Luo Yao established himself as the king in Miaofeng Mountain in the south of the Yangtze River, and now he is leading his troops north with the intention of attacking Chang'an. It seems that you and the Governor behind you are Luo Yao's comrades, in that case, what else do I have to say to you, come on! ”

Fang Xie shouted, and four Xiao riding schools immediately came in outside.

"Please command, General!"

"Pull this man out and beat him to death!"

"Whoa"

Listening to Fang Jie's instructions, the four Xiao Riding School immediately pounced on them like wolves, held down the bull rammer, and couldn't help but say that they gave a few punches to the face first, and their noses were broken and their eye sockets were also blue, and after a few punches, this skinny guy had a lot of weight on his face, and he looked much more pleasing to the eye.

"The general spares his life!"

Niu Tam begged while struggling: "The humble position is naturally the official of the Great Sui, and the heart is naturally loyal and patriotic, please forgive the general for the momentary mistake of the humble position, Luo Yao, the traitor, everyone will be punished, how can the humble position be his comrade." If you see him, you will eat his flesh and drink his blood! The Governor still has a lot of explanations for his humble duties and did not say anything, and the general spares his life. ”

Fang Xie waved his hand and said, "Then I'll listen, Zhong Xin has something else to say." ”

Niu Tam rubbed his swollen face, and his voice trembled: "What the Governor means is that if the general does not lead the army south, the Governor will not fail to admit that Beihui Dao is under the rule of the general. Moreover, the Governor and several of the great masters of the family also said that if the Governor agrees, the Governor will raise a batch of money and food to send it, and he will pay tribute to this amount every year in the future, and there will be no less. ”

"Oh?"

Fang Xie smiled and said, "It seems that the Governor is very confident in the Northern Hui Dao under his rule, is there really no thief in the Northern Hui Dao?" I was ordered to clean up the thieves in the southwest, and the injustice of the thieves is that I am sorry for Your Majesty's trust and have a heavy trust. If His Majesty asks me one day, I will be responsible. ”

"General Hui, Beihui Dao is very peaceful, and there is not a single thief!"

Niu Tam hurriedly followed Fang Jie's words and said.

"Hmm"

Fang Xie nodded: "I am from a military background, I don't have so many thoughts, I like to speak straight, and I also like others to tell me the truth." You are not allowed to lie to me, if there is really no thief in Beihui Province, I don't have to lead the army to the south, and the labor and mobilization will cost money and food......"

"Don't worry, the general, what he says is the truth!"

Niu Tam nodded and said.

"In that case, let me ask you."

Fang Xie squinted his eyes at Niu Tam and asked, "Your Excellency the Governor and those lords of the family, how much grain are you willing to give to labor the army?" ”

"This ......"

Niu Tam thought for a while and replied: "Humble people are soft-spoken, and they don't dare to make claims. Why don't you ask the general to go back and ask the governor what he means, and then send it to the general after I have all the money, food, and materials? The Governor says that he has long admired the prestige of the Great General, and is willing to be your friend. ”

"Haha"

Fang Xie smiled and said, "I'm the most willing to make friends...... Go back and tell the Governor that since he is so sincere, I am not unreasonable. In this way, 500,000 stone grains and grass, 1 million taels of silver, 3,000 Shu brocade brocades, 200,000 feather arrows, and 30,000 sets of armor...... For the rest of the stuff, I'll have someone write a document for you to take back, and if the Governor is willing to make me a friend, the Black Flag Army won't take a step into the Northern Hui Road. ”

"The lowly duty is written!"

Niu tamping scolded in his heart, it was really black, but how dare he show it on his face. It's not bad that he was only beaten back this time, how dare he stay any longer.

After Niu Tam retreated, Wu Yi smiled and asked Fang Jie: "What, do you really plan to talk to Zhong Xin?" ”

Fang Xie nodded and smiled: "Of course we have to talk about it, and we have to talk about it seriously, I plan to let Sun Kaidao, who was patrolling in Qibei County, come back and let him preside over this matter." This man is very sensitive to silver, let him talk about it as a matter that must be done, and the more ruthless he talks, the better. If it is perfunctory, Zhong Xin will not necessarily take out the silver when he sees the flaws. Sun Kaidao is a calculating person, and he is a good negotiator. What I want is that Zhong Xin thinks that I am just trying to blackmail him for money and food this time, so I want to be serious! ”

"In addition, let the army step up preparations, and wait for the money, food, and materials sent by Zhong Xin, which can just be used as food and grass for the army to go out......"

Wu Yiyi laughed, especially free.