The court will go to the suburbs. King Huiji asked Wang Biaozhi and said: "The suburbs should be said: "Since Zhongxing, the suburbs have often been forgiven, and foolishness is often inappropriate; Fierce and foolish people, thinking that there will be forgiveness in the suburbs, will be born in luck! "From it.

--------------- Introduction

"Lord Hui, it's Lord Shouhuan of Yicheng County, I just saw him get out of a carriage in front of him, and look at this pontoon bridge there." Xun Ping replied.

"Huan Langzi, isn't he guarding Xiangyang? Why did you get to Guanlong? Xun Xian said to himself in surprise. This Huan Huo is Huan Wen's second brother, who is modest, steady, and quite practical. At the beginning, the imperial court was set up as Situ Mansion and Secretary Lang, but they were all inadequate. Later, Sima Zhao, the king of Huiji, was engaged in Zhonglang for the Fu army, except for the Ministry of Officials, but he was dismissed by Huan Huo due to illness. moved Huang Menlang again, but still refused to take office.

In the end, Huan Wen felt that the pressure from the north was getting bigger and bigger, so he personally recruited Huan Huo as Sima of the Anxi General's Mansion. This year, Huan Wen commanded the Northern Expedition of the Middle Road Wang Division, and transferred Huan Huo to Yicheng County, supervised the military of Yicheng, Yiyang, and Xincheng Counties, sat in Xiangyang, and dispatched logistics.

After thinking about it for a while, Xun Xian was also relieved, Huan Wen also spent a lot of effort to attack Nanyang, Luyang, and Kunyang, and naturally the materials were also tight.

Xun Xian sat in the carriage, leaned back from the seat, closed his eyes slightly, pondered silently for a while, and then said to Xun Ping: "Xun Ping, after crossing the river, you take my post to inform Lord Huan, if he also goes to Chang'an." I hope to walk with him. ”

Xun Ping responded, then took out Xun Xian's place name sticker from his luggage, opened the car door, and soon squeezed into the bustling crowd, and disappeared after a while.

Xun Xian sat in the carriage and let the carriage slowly drive along the pontoon bridge to the west bank, silent all the way.

Soon, Xun Xian's carriage arrived on the west bank of the pontoon bridge. The bustling crowd dispersed at once. Continue along the official road to Chang'an, which is in the southwest direction. Xun Xian told the coachman to temporarily park the stagecoach on the side of the road. Wait a minute.

After a while, two carriages came out of the traffic and slowly approached. The carriage door suddenly opened, and a man who looked four points like Huan Wen walked out. He looked to be in his twenties, and he should be about the same size as Xun Xian, but he was darker and shorter than Xun Xian. So it's a little more down-to-earth.

Seeing Huan Huo approaching under the leadership of Xun Ping, Xun Xian hurriedly pushed the car door, walked out, and said head-on: "Brother Langzi, I didn't expect to meet here, it's really rare!" ”

"Lord Lingze, I didn't expect to see you here." Huan Huo said with a smile on his face.

The two men held hands together and looked at each other. Suddenly, he looked up and smiled heartily. Under the guidance of Xun Xiandi. Huan Huo and Xun Xian walked into the carriage of Xun Xian one after another, and then the door was quickly closed by Xun Ping, who was following behind, and the carriage began to drive west along the official road.

Xun Xian and Huan Huo, who were sitting in the carriage, just looked at each other silently. No one spoke, but let the carriage go faster and faster. And the expressions on the faces of the two became more and more solemn, and finally Xun Xian said softly: "Langzi, you are also here for weapons and ordnance this time?" ”

"Yes, Lord Lingze, I'm afraid you have the same purpose." Huan Huo replied in a low voice.

Xun Xian was speechless, so he had to nod his head and acquiesce.

There was silence again, except for the soft sighs of two men in the carriage, and the sound of the carriage vibrating as it moved, mixed with the speeding wheels of the carriage and the sound of the groom's whipping.

Speechless all the way, the carriage soon drove to Chang'an.

Along the official road, the carriage did not enter North Chang'an, but drove directly into the Thirty Mile Bridge Post Station, thirty miles northeast of New Chang'an. Xun Xian and Huan Huo got off the four-wheeled stagecoach here, and changed to the mantle car parked next to the post station according to the instructions of the post here. It is a two-wheeled carriage much smaller than a stagecoach, a round shed made of wood for the skeleton, surrounded by bamboo canopies, rectangular, with square ground on the left and right behind, except for the roof of the canopy, which is semicircular. The bamboo canopy is very densely braided, almost impossible to see through, and it is brushed with a layer of tung oil, so there should be no problem on rainy days.

The two long gloves of the mantle chariot were placed on a horse, and the back of the horse was facing the ground, and only a piece of linen coarse cloth was hung down in front of the canopy.

A handlebar-type Xun Xian and Huan Huo walked over, hurriedly took off a small bench that was not tall or low, put it under the frame, and then stretched out his hand to lift the cloth curtain and respectfully waited for the two to get into the car.

Seeing this posture, Xun Xian and Huan Huo couldn't help but hesitate for a moment, and then bent back and forth and stepped on the small bench to get into the curtain carriage.

The handlebar that put down the curtain put away the bench, gently sat down on a small section of the car in front of the cloth curtain, and then shouted, and the carriage suddenly started slowly, and drove towards Chang'an without hurry.

The entourage of the two also hurriedly got into more than a dozen carriages, as well as several carts loaded with luggage that had been prepared a long time ago, and they all followed behind and drove towards Chang'an.

This mantle cart is not as comfortable as a stagecoach to sit on, and it will be bumpy

It's not very fast, so I haven't suffered too much. Xun Xian turned his head to Huan Huo next to him and asked, "Brother Langzi, when did you leave from Xiangyang?" ”

"Ten days ago." Huan Huo immediately replied.

"At that time, I had just said goodbye to your brother Huan from Nanyang." Xun Xian nodded.

"I really don't know when this battle will end. From Nanyang to Luyang, Kunyang, and now to Liangxian, I Jingxiang has lost nearly 40,000 people. Huan Huo sighed. Xun Xian is not as good as Yin Hao, he has a good impression in the minds of the Huan brothers, and Huan Huo is a kind person, so he couldn't help but sigh in front of Xun Xian.

"So much loss?" Xun Xian couldn't help but be surprised, he asked Huan Wen about the battle and losses in Luyang slightly, Huan Wen was very gloomy, but he didn't tell him the detailed figures, and when he heard it today, it was actually bigger than he imagined.

"This is mainly due to the dangerous terrain of the middle road, Funiu Mountain, Bear's Ears Mountain, Rushui, it is very good to be able to hit the city of Liangxian County. If someone else fights, maybe it's still in Nanyang and Luyang! Xun Xian replied implicitly.

Huan Huo understood what Xun Xian meant. Hearing this, I also felt that this young local uncle had said a fair word, but his full grumbling had just begun: "I just can't figure out why Zeng Zhenbei didn't send troops to Heluo, echoing with the north and south of my middle route army, and recovering the old capital of Luoyang in one fell swoop." ”

Xun Xian shook his head, and was about to open his mouth to persuade him, but he saw that Huan Huan replied again: "Actually, I know the reason for this. Politics? It's because of the power trick! The result is what we are today. We fought in the south with mountains of corpses and a sea of blood, but we still couldn't see the shadow of Heluo. But the Zhenbei Army, which was closest to Heluo, inexplicably ran to Bingzhou, north of Heluo, to fight. ”

Huan Huo suddenly paused, and said to Xun Xian in a low voice: "Lord Lingze." Did you find anything along the way. How many soldiers and horses will there be in this northern province? ”

Xun Xian was stunned. After thinking for a while, he said: "It's hard to say, I don't know how Zeng Zhenbei recruited troops, but I estimate that there may be about 200,000." ”

"Two hundred thousand? Lord Lingze, let me tell you, the month before last, Mr. Shi Wuzi, the assassin of Qinzhou, wrote a letter to my brother and mentioned it inadvertently. There are 120,000 cavalry in Beifu! And all of them are elite cavalry that have been selected several times. Huan said angrily.

"What?" Xun Xian was really taken aback. 120,000 cavalry, now the Jiangzuo Imperial Court can gather 12,000 cavalry, it is not bad, it is estimated that it will have to be counted even with mules and donkeys. "I really can't imagine that the strength of Beifu is so strong." Xun Xian knew that Huan Wen and many people in Beifu were inextricably linked, so he could naturally get first-hand information and intelligence.

Thinking of this, Xun Xian couldn't help but smile bitterly: "It seems that the imperial court and Yuan Shen are probably really wishful thinking." ”

Hearing this, Huan Huo suddenly heard the meaning of Xun Xian's words, but he didn't dare to answer, because although Zeng Hua was feared and hated, he was inextricably linked with Jing Xianghuan's family. He somewhat regretted his recklessness.

Huan Huo lowered his head and thought for a moment and replied: "Actually, it is not surprising that there are 300,000 soldiers and horses in the north of Zeng Zhenbei. I think that Jiangzuo has more than 400,000 soldiers and horses excluding Beifu, but I still feel that it is not enough. The north of Zeng Zhen is surrounded by enemies on three sides, and there are more places to use troops. ”

Hearing that Huan Huo was explaining Zeng Hua, Xun Xian nodded in agreement. However, I don't know whether to express my agreement with Huan Huo's explanation or to express my understanding of Huan Huo's exculpation of Zeng Hua.

"The Central Plains is so chaotic, Zeng Zhenbei wants to quickly pacify it is not easy to support 300,000 troops, I don't know how many years it will take to see the world peaceful, the scene of the four seas rising to peace." Xun Xian suddenly sighed.

When Huan Huo heard this, his heart was already turbulent, it seemed that Xun Xian seemed to have put the hope of pacifying the troubled times on Zeng Huadi in his heart, not his brother and Yin Hao, who was not famous in the world. Could it be that this problem has been recognized among the truly knowledgeable masters of Jiangzuo? Was it Liu Xian's influence or Xun Xian's own exclamation after what he saw and heard after coming to Guanlong?

Huan Huo couldn't help but feel a little angry in his heart, but when he calmed down and thought about it, just from the perspective of this Northern Expedition, Huan Huo had to admit that if there was no Zeng Hua's move, whether it was Huan Wen or Yin Hao, it would be wishful thinking to recover Heluo.

"Build more roads, accumulate more grain, and don't be kings." Huan Huo didn't understand. Xun Xian saw Huan's confused appearance, and took out a copy of the Di Bao from his arms, which was the most widely circulated "Civil Di Bao" in Beifu.

Xun Xian unfolded the newspaper, pointed to one of the texts and said, "Brother Langzi, look here." This is a story that is said to be apocryphal about the expulsion of Hulu by the heroes of the Central Plains, in which a local heroic strategist proposed to him the strategy of building more roads, accumulating grain, and not becoming king. Brother Langzi, do you see the meaning? ”

"Please also ask Lord Lingze for advice." Huan Huo said respectfully.

"This is actually talking about the strategy of the Northern Mansion." Xun Xian said with a smile.

"What?" Huan Huo thought for a while, shook his head and asked, "This Zeng Zhenbei will really do this?" ”

"It's obvious. You see the other side of the newspaper said that the government recruited 60,000 people to build Chang'an to Shangjun

The last leg of the straight. Look at it, even the straight road from Shangjun to Chang'an, what is the biggest feeling since you and I entered Beifu? In addition to building water conservancy ditches, it is overhauling roads. Xun Xian pointed to the other side of the newspaper and said, "Zeng Zhenbei has far-reaching implications." Let's not talk about this major water conservancy for the time being, what are the benefits of this road repair? Brother Langzi, take a look at this again. ”

Xun Xian took out another newspaper, which was the "Zhenbei General's Mansion Newspaper", pointed to the above paragraph and said: "August 16." There are thieves gathered more than 1,000 people to make a rebellion according to Fengliang Mountain, and the Linjin Xiang army dispatched, gathered the soldiers of Xiayang and Liyi, and on the 26th, they were peaceful, beheaded 300, and the rest were captured. Ten days! In just ten days, the Zhenbei army was able to run nearly 300 miles and mobilize troops and horses in three places. Quell the chaos in one fell swoop. This also includes the delivery of news to Chang'an. Then Chang'an immediately dispatched troops to the local time. Brother Langzi. Do the math, if it weren't for the smooth roads in Beifu, would Beifu be able to give rapid military and political orders and flexible dispatch of troops and horses? I think that last year, there were mountain people in Jin'an County (now Fuzhou, Fujian) who were in rebellion, but the news reached Jiankang for half a month, and Jiankang passed down the military order. Troops and horses from all walks of life in the nearby counties were mobilized, and troops were dispatched two months later. As a result, it was only a rebellion of more than 1,000 people, which spread for more than half a year, swept through tens of thousands of people in several counties, and only subsided this year under the siege of 30,000 heavy troops. Xun Xian sighed more and more when he said this.

Huan Huo was also quite touched when he heard this, and said: "My brother is also puzzled, he once said that Zeng Zhenbei is both leading the army and governing the government. Although it is incredible. But it often has deep meaning. ”

"When the people are rich, the country is strong." Xun Xian said leisurely, "In fact, Zeng Zhenbei's profound meaning may have been explained in this sentence. Xun Xian took out another newspaper like a trick, which was the "Yongzhou Thorn History Mansion Newspaper". He pointed to a sentence above and said: "This is a passage that Zeng Zhenbei said to the old officials of Fufeng County when he inspected Fufeng County last month. Only when the people are rich, can the country be truly strong, and can it avoid the historical tragedy of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty when the country was strong for a while, but the people were impoverished, and finally turned from prosperity to decline. ”

"Although I don't really understand the real meaning of what Zeng Zhenbei said, I really understand that Zeng Xuping is far better than me." Xun Xian sighed.

The carriage quickly entered Chang'an, and Xun Xian and the others finally understood why the four-wheeled stagecoach couldn't drive directly into Chang'an City, there were too many people here. Although the road is wide, but with the crowds of people on both sides, the mantle cart can only move slowly, and the wider four-wheeled carriage is simply looking for guilt.

Xun Xian and Huan Huo simply jumped out of the car, leaving only a few entourages, and the rest were sent to follow the mantle car to the guest house and settle down first. This is the new Chang'an urban area, the road is straight, the road surface is paved with gravel mixed with "Guanlong cement", I don't know what equipment and means are used, the road surface is pressed extremely flat.

Houses are being built on both sides of the avenue, and the houses here are supposed to be built uniformly, but the styles of the houses are roughly the same, but they are still different, and the progress is different. So it looks neat and not dull.

The two of them turned into the new Chang'an Dinan City, which is a bazaar and is very easy to build, so it was basically completed after about a year of repair, and it has begun to officially open.

There are more people here, and there are all kinds of people. The whole Nancheng Bazaar is a field character, and the following is divided into hundreds of Tian characters, the road constitutes the structure of Tian characters, and the shops on the side of the road constitute the content of Tian characters.

The shops are simply built with high scaffolding, and the roof is covered with tiles to shelter from the sun and rain. The shops are divided into stalls, much like the farmers' market that Zeng Hua saw in another life.

In addition to the people in the bazaar, there are a dazzling array of goods, jade, woolen fabrics, rare and exotic fruits from the Western Regions, furs, horns, and jade from the north and Xiqiang, and fragrant wood, silk, tea, and porcelain from the south, all of which are placed on the shelves of the shops in the bazaar, which can be seen clearly at a glance. And this bazaar is very clearly divided, the area that sells silk is all selling silk, and the area that sells tea is all selling tea. Merchants stood beside the shelves, shouting enthusiastically at passers-by.

There were all kinds of people among the pedestrians coming and going, and Xun Xian and Huan Huo actually saw a few familiar people, all of whom were envoys sent by Jiang Zuo and Jingxiang on business.

Xun Xian turned his head and said to Huan Huo: "Brother Langzi, do you now know why Zeng Zhenbei only collects two-thirds of the envoys' taxes?" The most convenient way to do business is the family families in various places, they can buy goods through Chang'an as envoys, and then use their power in the local area to sell, can this business be bad? Not only can Guan Long's business be done all over Jiangzuo, but also the interests of commerce and trade can be used to block the mouths of all famous people, this is a clever trick, right? ”

Huan was silent for a long time, and finally nodded.

Xun Xian pointed to the market with people like a sea and a mountain of goods and said to Huan Huo leisurely: "I'm afraid the wealth of the world is all here." ”

Huan Huo's face couldn't help but change greatly, and his expression became extremely solemn.