Leaving Niexian, along the southeast direction of the turbid Zhangshui, marching at full speed, and arrived at Xiangyuan City in a short time. According to the plan of the march, the Great Army was to make its first replenishment here, and then move on.

The biggest restriction on the speed of the march is nothing more than supplies.

Although Wang Yu gave an order to Xu Shu to allocate grain and grass to the south, he did not mean to sit and wait, but gave the order under the front foot, and the back foot was pulled, and the supplies could only be raised in the counties along the road first.

The state has not been peaceful these years, the Xianbei people, the Huns, the Qiang people, all kinds of local forces in the state of the big fight, today the Xiongnu and the Han army united against Xianbei, tomorrow is the Xiongnu to fight a rake, it is easy to repel these two foreign wolves, the Han army and cannibalism.

In the past five years, nearly ten large and small forces, such as Ding Yuan, Yu Fuluo, Zhang Yang, and Gao Gan, have occupied or passed by, and it is the area with the most serious military disaster in Bingzhou.

The people here have been familiar with and adapted to the war, and suddenly saw the arrival of a large group of soldiers and horses, and there was no need for the command of the county guards and county commanders, so the people completed many tactical actions such as closing the city gate, pulling up the suspension bridge, and gathering people and horses to defend the city with great speed.

The advance post of the Qingzhou army was a few miles away, and they also watched the gate of the city in the distance open widely, and the crowd shuttled like a stream, but when they arrived at the bottom of the city, what they saw was completely a scene of heavy security and waiting.

The scouts were all amazed, and felt that the statement that the party produced elite soldiers was indeed true, even if it was the militia in Qingzhou that had been trained for two or three years, it was only at this level.

The name of the hussar general was announced, but the soldiers and civilians in the city were still indifferent, and they still looked like they were facing a great enemy. The scouts had no choice but to report back according to the truth and leave the problem to Wang Yu to solve.

When Wang Yu arrived at the city, what he saw was a very shocking scene. It seemed that all the men and women of the city had come out, from the gray-haired old woman to the naughty boy who had just learned to go up to the house to dig birds' eggs, all lying behind the fence and watching themselves.

These people were all dressed in ragged clothes, but their postures of drawing bows and holding knives were very pure. Those weapons are simple and dilapidated, but they are the reason why the city in front of them has survived in the troubled times and has not been looted by the rebels from all walks of life.

Wang Yu felt a burst of sadness in his heart, but he was also a little proud.

The sad thing is that the war-torn Middle-earth has erased all the beauty in people's surnames, and the victims no longer trust anyone, except for the swords and guns in their hands. But then again, if it weren't for the people who picked up swords and guns to protect themselves, maybe Shangdang, the place of the four wars, would have become a ghost in the world, and it was the spontaneous resistance of the people that left a trace of vitality in this ancient region of China.

The commander at the head of the city refused to go out to make contact with the officers and soldiers, although he could clearly see the hussar general's banner unfurled by the guards. As early as four or five years ago, the imperial court had lost its prestige, as long as it had the ability to pull out a vote, no matter what kind of official position he proclaimed, as long as he was not called the king and the emperor, no one would care.

Before the Wumeng Lieutenant Ding Yuan's cavalry went south, he was just a Wumeng Lieutenant, and when he walked to Shangdang, he had already become a tiger general, and he did a lot of evil in the Shangdang territory.

Today's Hanoi assassin Zhang Yang was only engaged in a subordinate under Ding Yuan at the beginning, and later recruited a vote of people with his family wealth, and with considerable strength, he suddenly became a general of Jianyi. Before transferring to Hanoi, he raised troops to attack Shangdang Taishou in Huguan, but he was shy and took away the other party's official position, and proclaimed himself Shangdang Taishou, and set up troops in Kouluo counties.

Zhang Yangjun's combat power is not as good as Ding Yuan's elite border army, but the power of the people is much stronger than the latter. Luxian, Tunliu and other county towns have been broken one after another, and the people in the city have ten rooms and nine emptiness until now, more than five years later, they have not been able to recover.

With these bloody lessons, it is no wonder that the people of the Shangdang are so nervous.

"We are the Great Han Hussars, the Hussars who never disturb the people! I'm here to ask for **Cao**, you guys raised their knives at each other, weren't they bought by Cao thieves? Tai Shi Ci was ordered to step forward and shouted to the people in the city with open hands.

"It doesn't matter if you're a ** or a general, go away quickly, don't fight the idea here!" A feathered arrow swooped down from the city wall, almost sticking to the neck of the war horse and burrowing half a foot into the ground: "Don't come close, there is no food for you in the city!" Whether you are an official or a thief, there is none! ”

"He's a grandmother, I don't know if it's lifted!" Tai Shi Ci was so angry that he took out the bow from the saddle and wanted to change the color.

If it weren't for the fact that he had to raise supplies along the way to ensure the speed of the march, he wouldn't have the patience to talk to a group of people.

The name of his own lord's benevolence and love for the people is known all over the world, even in Jingzhou, and even in a place so far away from Jiangdong, some people praise him, but the Shangdang, which has become his own jurisdiction, received this kind of cold reception, how can Tai Shici, who is surnamed Lie Ruhu, be calm?

"Ziyi, you step aside for the time being and let Kong Ming come!" Wang Yu stopped Tai Shici in time and made a decision that seemed ridiculous to the latter.

"Kong Ming?" Tai Shi Ci looked at his lord in surprise, not understanding what role Zhuge Liang, who was quiet, could play at such a time. But he still faithfully carried out this 'chaotic order', and retreated, grinding his teeth with hatred in his mouth.

That is to say, the lord has a good temper, if he simply transfers two heavy thunderbolts over according to his own wishes and smashes two holes in the city wall, these self-righteous guys will know that they are powerful.

In the bewildered gaze of the city and the city, Zhuge Liang summoned more than a dozen staff members with the army, and Shi Shiran walked to the city.

This time, the reaction on the city walls was less violent.

Tai Shici with a fierce face will make people involuntarily fearful, and fear brings vigilance and uneasiness. And Zhuge Liang is a handsome young man with a weak crown and a full of culture, how can people be willing to do it?

What's more, the people in the city are only relatively closed to information, and they are not deaf and dumb. Even if I haven't heard of Wang Yu's name of benevolence, I have vaguely heard of the brilliant achievements of this strong neighbor of Hebei.

Everyone knows very well that if the battle really starts, with the 10,000 defenders composed of old, weak, women and children in the city, they will definitely not be able to stop this fierce and strong army outside the city.

But there is no way, you have to bite the bullet even if you know that you are invincible! This is the experience and lesson that people have summed up with blood and tears in the troubled times, and if the weak want to survive, they must show a tough enough posture. Pleading and crying will not solve the problem, but will only make the robbers see their weakness and intensify their bullying.

had scruples and insistence, and the result was that Zhuge Liang walked to the bottom of the city without hindrance, and without pulling his throat, he could make the people at the head of the city hear clearly.

"Ladies and gentlemen, you should have heard some news, my lord is a hussar general canonized by today's son, the champion Hou, since last year, has replaced Gao and Yuan, and has taken over the military and political power of the state...... Just over ten days ago, he led the army to fight with 300,000 Xiliang Iron Cavalry in Longshan, winning more with less, and breaking the ......"

Zhuge Liang's voice was much quieter than Tai Shi Ci's, and his tone did not fluctuate much, but his words brought a much greater shock to the people of Xiangyuan.

The Xiliang army attacked in a big way, and the Qingzhou army rose up to meet it, and the two sides coincidentally chose the main battlefield in Taiyuan, in the north, and the territory of Shangdang was not affected by the war at all. However, hundreds of thousands of troops fought fiercely for several months two hundred miles away, and the impact was not ordinary, and the people of Shangdang had heard of it to some extent.

It is precisely because of hearing about this war that the people of Shangdang are so nervous. According to the normal situation, in a war of this scale, no matter who wins or loses, it will eventually deal an incomparably heavy blow to the merged states.

The Xiliang army won, and the terrifying figure of 300,000 will gnaw up the last wheat seedling in Bingzhou; The Xiliang army lost, and the more than 100,000 or 200,000 defeated soldiers, and the 100,200,000 outlaws who lost everything, would also cause boundless slaughter on the way through!

But now listening to this little scholar, the 300,000 army has been silently wiped out! Could it be true that this sounds like a myth or a legend?

"This time, our army is only going south, and we need to raise supplies, and we will not enter the city...... I understand your feelings, but you are also the people under the rule of my lord, do you plan to divide the land into a territory and become a country of your own? ”

"How dare that, how dare you!" Zhuge Liang's questioning made the hearts of the first few principals in the city skip a beat, and now the county towns of Shangdang are only in the stage of self-protection, and they have no ambitions. It's just that everyone is fed up with the poison of the chaotic soldiers, and looking at the black cavalry array outside the city, this heart is really bottomless.

"Otherwise, isn't this good......"

Hearing the tone of the principals gradually loosening, Zhuge Liang took another step to make a move: "I am here to make a decision, please withdraw the army from Wuli, and then you open the city gate, let me and these colleagues enter the city, let's trade directly in the city, cash and spot, and then you will organize people to send grain and grass out of the city, and our army will take it by itself, how about it?" ”

"Buzz!" Suddenly there was a discussion in the city.

"I see that this little gentleman has a good face, he is a good person, and there should be no fraud!"

"I don't know my heart if I know my face, what about Gao Gan, Yuan Tan or the children of the family, I heard that their looks are not bad, when it is time to scrape, how can they be soft?"

"Xu Bald, you have to pat your conscience when you say this! You look outside, that large area of black oppression, not to mention thousands of riders? People have strong soldiers in hand, and they have the name of righteousness, and they have repeatedly retreated, that is benevolence and righteousness, not afraid of us, you really want to get an inch, which provoked the hussar general to be annoyed and angry, and the whole city of the whole city wants to give you this stinky mouth to be buried? ”

"Yes, although everyone is hiding in the city, the wheat seedlings outside the city are ripe when they see it! If you really provoke people, you don't need to attack the city, as long as you put the horses in the fields, everyone will have to drink the northwest wind next year! ”

"Having said that, but this is already tight, the wheat is ripe for a month, and the grain is sold, what will everyone eat in the next period? Uncle Zhang, your old man is highly respected, and everyone is convinced of you, at this time, you have to come up with an idea. ”

The old man, known as Uncle Zhang, was the oldest among the people present, with white hair and hair, and he looked quite fairy. Although he was elected to lead because of his age and knowledge, he really couldn't make any ideas in his heart, he just felt that what everyone said was reasonable, but he just couldn't solve the problem.

After thinking about it, he simply threw the problem directly to Zhuge Liang under the city: "The hussar general is generous and generous, and the little gentleman is resourceful and can understand our difficulties, but there are still a few difficult things to do...... trembling said, but he summarized everyone's opinions.

The military horses outside the city want food to march, and the old and young in the city have to live by the grain, which is an unsolvable problem in the old man's opinion. This is the meaning of refusal, but there is a lot of room left in the words, thinking of bargaining, and in the end it is best to reach a small amount of food labor in the city.

Unexpectedly, the big problem in his eyes was just a matter of thinking about it for the young man in the city. Zhuge Liang listened to the old man's complaints, smiled, and said calmly: "This thing is easy to do...... It's too tiring to talk like this, why don't you ask me to wait for me to enter the city first and make it clear to my face? ”

Uncle Zhang thought about it, discussed a few words with everyone, and felt that it didn't matter how many scholars were put in, it was indeed easier to talk in person, even if he responded. Waiting for Zhuge Liang to send someone to report, the cavalry brigade began to retreat, and this side also lowered the drawbridge, opened the city gate a crack, and put Zhuge Liang and his party inside.

"It's just a group of Diao people, they don't know the general situation, they only recognize their own little profits, why are they so polite? Give them a little bit of a look, aren't they obedient? Boss Tai Shi Ci complained impatiently.

"Big brother, you went up and someone shot an arrow, and Kong Ming was welcomed into the city when you went up...... You're mentally unbalanced, aren't you? Zhao Yun joked on the side, and exaggerated a fan under his nose, and shouted, "Well, the sour smell is tangy." ”

"Humph! What's so unbalanced, my bearing is not so small! Tai Shici was not excited, and snorted coldly: "I just don't understand, isn't it urgent to go south this time?" How can the lord have such leisure? This way has to pass through seven or eight county seats, and if each county is so tossed, it is better to wait for Yuan to send grain directly. ”

"Do you really think so?" Zhao Yun looked at his righteous brother with a strange look in his eyes.

"Is there something wrong?" Tai Shi Ci glared back.

"Definitely not!" Zhao Yun shook his head, very disappointed with his brother's sluggishness.

"Bargaining ah, as long as it succeeds, the eight achievements will be enough this time. Think about it, what did Kong Ming want to discuss with the people? It's fair trade! The people can now sell grain to us at a high price, and when they turn around, they can sell grain at a low price from the second brother, this kind of good thing, they still haven't heard of it? When the news spreads, are you afraid that other cities will not open their gates, and welcome us? ”

Tai Shi Ci thought about it, and shook his head: "It's still not right!" How closed is this place in the party, the news can't spread at all! Even the Battle of Longshan, no one knows about the Qingzhou New Deal, no one spreads it, do you still expect this little favor? ”

"You couldn't be more wrong!" Qin Feng came out of nowhere, and rushed at Tai Shici is count: "The people of small families don't care about the big war, the state decree or anything at all, because it has nothing to do with themselves, it's ethereal, and it's not interested in understanding it at all, the spread of natural beauties, the little favor is different, this will fall on your own head!" ”

Tai Shi Ci stiffened his neck and retorted angrily: "How come people know about Jingzhou, Jiangdong, and even Yizhou?" ”

"Uh, what's this......" Qin Feng is also a non-scholar, counting too Shi Ci, relying on the grassroots identity that the latter does not have, when it comes to the details of the surprise, he can only stare dryly.

"The so-called: Cang Liao knows etiquette and knows honor and disgrace when he has enough food and clothing." Wang Yu finally joined the discussion, and his tone was quite touching.

"Jiangdong and Jingzhou are the land of fish and rice, and Yizhou is known as the land of abundance. And Shangdang is a place of four wars, and it has been in turmoil, and the people do not know tomorrow after today, and they do not know the next meal after eating. It's too late to struggle, how can you have time to care about the new deal and the war situation? ”

"Hehe, Ziyi, do you understand now? That's what the lord said! Qin Feng grinned and patted Tai Shici on the shoulder, looking proud and honorable: "For the little people, you have to use the benefits, and for those who read and know etiquette, you can say the big truth." For you stupid cow, then you can only rely on the lord's head to drink, haha! ”

Tai Shi Ci was annoyed, his eyes widened, and he really looked like an angry bull, and he could see that Wang Yu and Zhao Yun were all attracted to each other.

"That's not quite true of a madman." Wang Yu said with a smile: "In fact, no matter what class you are in, people are profit-seeking, the difference is nothing more than that people who have not read can only rely on their own experience, and on the whole, their vision is inevitably short-sighted." Those who have read books understand the truths summed up by the sages, and are better at seeing the subtleties and knowing the ......"

"The impact of the new deal and the war situation requires a certain vision. For the struggling Shangdang people, the troubled times seem to have no end, where will they pay attention to those things? In fact, the people of Qingzhou were the same back then, don't forget, didn't the establishment of the new deal start with the reclamation order? ”

Hearing this, Zhao Yun suddenly had a feeling of enlightenment: "I see! The lord bought and sold grain this time, in fact, he killed two birds with one stone. Let it benefit the people, win the trust of the people, and at the same time facilitate the march! ”

"Zilong really knows my intentions, and Yu Huai is very relieved." Wang Yu stroked Aijiang's shoulder and said with a satisfied smile.

"But," Tai Shici was really pantothenic this time: "We're cavalry!" Even if someone is willing to deliver the news, can they march faster than us? ”

"Ride a donkey and read the account book, let's walk and see!" Qin Feng hurriedly said: "Ziyi, last time you won the bet against Wen Chang, do you dare to make a bet with me this time?" If the news is really ahead of us, I will win! I don't want anything else, as long as you meet in the future, you will call your brother, don't scream madmen and crazy people, how about it? ”

"Just gamble on ......" Tai Shi Ci was about to agree, but Leng Ding saw that Zhao Yun had been glancing, he knew that this righteous brother's feelings were particularly keen, and he subconsciously took back the words that came to his mouth, and said with a chirp: "You kid rarely has a conspicuous opportunity, I don't want to be provoked by you, I'm angry with you crazy, hum!" ”

In the midst of laughter, Xiangyuan City not far away finally moved.

The first to stir up was the head of the city, I don't know what happened, as if all the houses in the city suddenly burst into flames, forcing the old and young people who defended the city to rush home to put out the fire, the people at the head of the city suddenly threw down their knives and guns, and rushed to the city ladder.

Don't look at the thousands of people piled up on the city wall, but they come and go quickly, that is, when there is more than a stick of incense, there are only three or two kittens left in the city that has just returned to the crowd. The sparse figure can be counted with a finger.

Before the soldiers of the cavalry could figure out what was going on, there were loud cheers in the city. It's a cheer, but it's more like the noise of a bazaar, as if there are many people trying to sell their products at a high price at the same time, and then quickly sell them.

It's a deal.

The cheers were still there, and the city gate changed again, first the drawbridge fell with a bang, and then the city gate creaked and was pushed open from the inside. In the next moment, hundreds of people poured out hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder, still holding knives and guns in their hands, or carrying bamboo baskets and wooden baskets, or holding on wheels and rickshaws, piled with sharp grain bags.

Attitudes have changed dramatically.

"Xiaomin and the others welcome the general into the city and stationed on the horse!" An old man with a white beard and hair, with a group of old men of about the same age, came straight to the flag, and knelt down from afar, respectful to the extreme.

"What's going on? You can't go this far, right? Tai Shi Ci was dumbfounded, and asked Zhuge Liang, "Kong Ming, don't you know spells?" ”

"Spells?" Zhuge Liang smiled slightly and said, "Well, maybe it's a spell." People say that money can make ghosts grind, and a lot of copper coins are spilled out, even if Wen Chang has a temper, it is impossible to suspect that we have evil intentions, right? ”

The reason for this is simple. The people of Shangdang did not know the new policy of Qingzhou, but they recognized Yuan Tongbao.

In recent years, Qingzhou's foreign trade volume has surged, but the newly minted currency has implemented a foreign tightening policy. The less Tongbao in circulation, the higher the relative value, the wider the recognition, and the scarcity is expensive.

Zhuge Liang and his staff brought a large amount of copper coins before entering the city, and as soon as they entered the city, they showed up, shaking the eyes of the old man and the others. The number of Tongbao in circulation is limited, but the profit of imitation is not high, so it is difficult to see it on the market, and it is impossible to appear in large quantities if it appears occasionally.

Zhuge Liang and others carried tens of thousands of copper coins, more than 100 catties! A small Xiangyuan city, it's no wonder if you are not shocked to dementia.

Wealth represents strength, generous offer represents magnanimity, 10,000 Tongbao smashed down, and the road was smashed at once. The people of Xiangyuan are not vigilant, there are thousands of robbers in the world, but they have never heard of using copper coins to open the way.

Such a God of Wealth has become a parent official, which is really a good thing that will wake up with a smile in a dream. What's more, Mr. Zhuge also said that it would not take three or five days for the grain transport team behind the army to arrive. The grain transportation team only recognizes Kaiyuan Tongbao, as long as there is Tongbao, you can buy grain at a low price!

After the doubts were dispelled, it was a warm welcome, and the reason is as simple as that, ancient and modern. (To be continued.) )