The spring ploughing of Soochow in 268 AD made a distinct difference to the people of this place.

Whether it is a yeoman farmer controlled by the state or a serf working in the estates of major families, in February of this year, when the spring is cold. was urged by officials or housekeepers at all levels to go to the field. Moreover, compared with the previous practice of the state only organizing and not supervising the spring plowing of yeoman farmers. In this year, the local officials who were generally lazy and inactive in the past of Soochow came to the fields and ridges in person, urging the people to speed up the cultivation of land and complete the work of raising and planting seedlings as soon as possible.

In fact, the common people are very disgusted by such a move.

In ancient times, agricultural production depended largely on the sky. The temperature, rain, and wind direction of each spring determine the time when spring ploughing begins. Therefore, the start and end time of spring ploughing is not fixed every year. It is normal to walk around for more than ten days. How can anyone like you use an executive order to dictate when ploughing will start and when to start raising seedlings?

For the low-level pro-people officials in Dongwu, they are also bitter: although we, the grassroots officials, basically do not farm the land ourselves, we watch everyone farm every day. How can you not know the reason why spring ploughing can't be done against God? But we can't help it! His Majesty the Emperor has given a death order that the rice planting must be completed by March 15, and then all the soldiers and civilians of the army must be in place by April. Troops must be sent before April 10 - that is, neither can they affect the spring ploughing. It can't affect the transfer of military and civilian husbands!

It would be nice if Dongwu was still reigning Emperor Jing - this is the common thought of all grassroots officials in Dongwu in recent times.

It's a pity that Sun Xiu has been hanging for many years, and his sons are all dead. So everyone can only think about it. Next, everyone still has to work hard to deal with the emperor who is not very good-tempered.

March 20, Jianye Palace.

"Your Majesty, according to the reports submitted by local officials in various places, spring plowing in various places has basically ended. Military mobilization is ready. ”

"So fast? The officials below wouldn't forcibly drive the people to spring plough against the season for fear that I would hold them accountable, right? ”

As an emperor who suffered for many years as a teenager, Sun Hao is not without any fireworks. On the contrary, he can be said to be the most understanding of agricultural production and the most sympathetic to the people among the emperors of Eastern Wu. It's a pity that he lost his father when he was a child and was kicked out of the court. After all, he doesn't have a deep enough understanding of the creature of bureaucrats: he doesn't want to think that if you complete the spring plowing and mobilization with the army and civilians as soon as possible, you will be held accountable if you fail to complete the order. Coupled with the temper of being resolute and resolute in the years you have been in power, you will raid your family if you don't agree. Which official dares to arrange spring ploughing according to agricultural hours?

Of course, for the ministers of Eastern Wu, they are also quite afraid of this emperor now. So they don't want to say too much about this matter either.

"Your Majesty, there are cases where some counties and counties urge the people to be a little anxious. But it is basically in line with the agricultural time. ”

It was the right prime minister Wan Yu who said this. At the beginning of this year, Prime Minister Lu Kai and Lu Jingfeng fell ill - Prime Minister Lu Cheng is seventy-one years old this year, looking at this, he can't bear this illness.

"Well, okay. So the next topic, the Northern Expedition. Shunmin? ”

"No, Your Majesty, Lords. At the beginning of October last year, Xishu sent 120,000 troops to the Northern Expedition. At present, the news collected and confirmed by the school is as follows: 1. The Northern Expedition of Xishu is divided into two routes. Jiang Boyue went to Longxi, and Guan Zifeng went to Guanzhong. Second, Jiang Boyo's all the way, has completely annihilated the Jin State Longxi Hu Fen Army, Hu Fen and Wang Shen were beheaded by the Qiang people, and the Wenyang brothers surrendered to Shu. Xishu has already taken control of the strategic point of the street pavilion. The great Sima Shibud of the Jin State was blocked in Qinchuan and could not advance an inch. The four counties of Longxi and Liangzhou have fallen under the control of Western Shu. 3. Guan Zifeng's all the way, after taking Yixian, has been stationed there. Now it is besieged by the 150,000 large army of the Jin army. However, judging from the recent battle situation, unless the grain in Yixian County is eaten, it will not be captured by the Jin army by force. Fourth, at present, there are only 80,000 left in the Jin army's Chinese army in Luoyang, and 30,000 of them are new recruits or have just been drawn from the state and county. Fifth, the Jingzhou army of the Jin State now has only 40,000, and more than 10,000 Chinese troops are trapped in the three counties of Shangyong. Sixth, the Yangzhou army of the Jin State still has 80,000 troops, but the Xuzhou army in its rear is almost none. 7. In the Northern Expedition of Xishu, cement was widely used. The renovation of the exterior wall of Yixian County proved to be extremely beneficial to the defenders. China has put forward a request to Xishu to obtain cement production methods, but Xishu has clearly refused. Not only that, but even the purchase intention was rejected. 8. Hefei, Shouchun, Xiangyang and other major cities in the Jin Kingdom are all following the example of Yixian County for exterior wall transformation. But because there is no cement, the rammed earth is extremely slow to build the wall. It is expected that it will not be completed in half a year...... The lower official has finished reporting. ”

After Wang Cheng finished speaking, everyone in the hall fell into silence. After a long while, Zhong Hui spoke: "Shunmin, you can't get cement openly, what about coming secretly?" ”

Wang Cheng smiled bitterly: "Shang Shuling, it has been found that the main production area of cement is Fuling County in Xishu. But the workshops there are very strictly guarded. The new Fuling Taishou Zhang Wei, although the ability to manage the people is not as good as the previous Chen Boyu, but in terms of military strategy, he is quite the true inheritance of his father. In recent months, the lower officials have organized the elite of the school, no difficulty, trouble, and circumvention of the tent to enter Fuling County through Wuling County and want to tie up a few craftsmen to come out, but as soon as they entered the territory of Fuling County, they were interrogated by barbarians from various cottages, and they were surrounded and suppressed if they didn't pay attention...... Over the years, the livelihood of Fuling County has been done extremely well by Guan Zifeng and Chen Boyu, and the local barbarians are all diehard loyalists of Fuling County......"

"I see, Shunmin has worked hard."

"Don't dare, things haven't been done well, and a lot of elites have been damaged. Wang Cheng was ashamed. ”

"That's it." In the end, it is a cronie who has accompanied him for decades, and Sun Hao is not ready to pursue anything in this matter: "Cement is an auxiliary thing after all." If my Great Wu's army has outstanding field combat capabilities, what does it matter if you don't want it. Well, right big Sima, tell me about your strategy. ”

"No, Your Majesty, colleagues. In this Northern Expedition of our Great Wu, it is estimated that a total of 200,000 troops will be dispatched. Among them, 150,000 are in Yangzhou and 50,000 are in Jingzhou. In addition, 100,000 soldiers and civilians are deployed. This time in the Northern Expedition, the main direction of attack is, of course, Hefei City of the Jin Kingdom, and taking this place and effectively defending it is the lowest goal of this Northern Expedition. If the war goes well, the direction of Yangzhou is to continue to advance northward, but in any case, Shouchun is the end point of the eastern front of this Northern Expedition. And in the direction of Jingzhou, it is only an auxiliary attack, so taking Xiangyang is a victory! ”

"Well, how long is the Northern Expedition expected to last? How much food do you need? ”

"Your Majesty, the minister is preparing to send troops in early April, and at the end of October, before the weather turns completely cold, the troops will be withdrawn, and it will last for half a year. The food needed, counting the loss of transportation on the way, at least 2 million stone of grain is needed in Yangzhou, and at least 800,000 stone in Jingzhou. As for the money, two billion is enough. ”

"Hehehe, the right big Sima really understands my difficulties. But how could I treat my own soldiers badly? In this way, grain, I will prepare five million stone for you first, money, three billion! Well, Wenbin, you don't have a problem there, right? ”

"Hehehe, how dare you delay military affairs because of Yu alone. Your Majesty, the right big Sima, please rest assured, the treasury can hold up! ”

"How, Right Great Sima, are you still satisfied with this military fund? If it's not enough, I'll transfer more money and food to you from Shaofu. ”

"Huh?! Enough, enough! Thank you, Your Majesty! ”

"Right Da Sima doesn't have to be like this, in the final analysis, it's all for this country. Hey, some time ago, I received a letter from Zuo Da Sima, saying that he was seriously ill and couldn't get out of bed for more than a month...... The country has not yet solved the existential crisis, but the generals who are the pillars of the imperial court are in poor health, I feel this heart...... The right big Sima is going, please also take care of your body. My patience is very good, if I can't beat Hefei for half a year, I will fight for another half a year! If 5 million yuan of food is not enough, it will be transferred from the treasury. In short, the army is outside, and I will entrust everything to the right big Sima! ”

"Your Majesty!" Ding Feng, who was already moved to the point of red-facedness, knelt heavily on his knees: "The old minister is really convinced!" Your Majesty is the rebirth of King Huan! If you meet such a master, the old minister will repay Your Majesty! Please rest assured, Your Majesty, this Northern Expedition, Hefei Bike! ”

"Good, I am waiting for the good news of the right big Sima in Jianye!"

……

On April 10, 268, Sima Ding, the right great general of Eastern Wu, was in Dongguan in Jiangbei, and the new general of Eastern Wu, Lu Kang, was in Xiling, and at the same time swore to the Northern Expedition!