Fenghou

Thinking of the extra income from grain, Chen Qing fixed his eyes on Lintao Mansion, where the Taohe Valley is a place of heavy production, so there must be a large amount of grain in storage.

But even if he captured Lintao Mansion, it would only temporarily solve the urgent need. If his army strength increased to [-], how would he solve the long-term shortage of food and military pay?

In the big tent, Zhang Xiao pointed to the map and said to Chen Qing: "The nearest grain-producing areas to us are either the Guanzhong Plain in the east or the Hehuang Valley in the west, and the Hehuang Valley is controlled by the Tubo people. To recruit a large number of Han people to cultivate, in fact, the Hehuang Valley is only a long-term prospect, and it is not realistic at this stage.”

Chen Qing smiled bitterly and said, "But the Guanzhong Plain is not realistic at this stage!"

"Du Tong is right. Although the Hehuang Valley and the Guanzhong Plain are unrealistic, it does not mean that the immediate predicament cannot be solved."

"Join the army, please tell me!"

Zhang Xiao said with a smile: "In fact, we still have three ways to go, the first is to develop the Weihe Valley in Qinzhou and Gongzhou, and the Taohe Valley in Lintao, but we need manpower, either implement military settlements, or go to Guanzhong to recruit people ;

The second is trade, where livestock are exchanged for grain from Bashu. According to a special investigation by Beizhi, the price of mules, donkeys, cattle and other livestock in Bashu is five times that of Hehuang, and the price of sheepskin is ten times that of Hehuang.

But because of the war, the caravan was a bit blocked, but we can set up a military business house, conduct a large amount of trade, and send back food with the price difference. To expand the number of camels, we need to build a transport team ourselves.

The third way is to mine, especially copper and silver mines, but this way is strictly prohibited by the court and is very sensitive. "

"Why are you sensitive?" Chen Qing was a little puzzled.

Zhang Xiao looked at the young coach, and he still didn't understand some things.

"The feudal separatism after the mid-Tang Dynasty slowly evolved into Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms. After the Song Dynasty unified the world, it was deeply analyzed that the biggest feature of the feudal separatist regime is that it mines and casts money by itself, forming independent finance, independent financial power, independent military power, and official power. Independence, these three major independences have led to them becoming completely independent kingdoms, the most important of which is the independence of financial rights.

Therefore, the imperial court was particularly strict about the mining of the frontier troops. They would rather allow the local government to mint their own money, but they would never allow the army to mine and mint their own money. The system should be cautious in this regard. "

Chen Qing pondered for a while and said: "Why did I think of opening a copper and iron mine? Because there is a hematite mine next to the saltpeter mine, which is rich in copper and iron. I thought that the saltpeter mine was already mined by miners, so why not let the prisoners of war mine copper instead?" iron ore."

"Is the copper-iron ore high-grade?"

"Pretty good. It's a bonanza with a lot of output."

Zhang Xiao thought for a while and said: "Dutong can be mined, but copper should not be turned into money for the time being. Others can't catch Dutong's braids. I feel that the food problem should be solved by the first two methods to increase the population. expand trade."

Chen Qing nodded, "Speaking of which, I still want to capture Lintao Mansion first. According to the information I got, Lintao Mansion has a large stockpile of food and supplies. I'm worried that they will transfer to Lanzhou."

"The Dutong wants to send troops to Lintao, hurry up! Occupy Lintao Mansion before winter comes, and use another winter to consolidate the occupation. As for the opening of copper and iron mines in Gongzhou, I will leave it to the humble officials to do it. Dutong doesn't have to worry about it." gone."

Chen Qing said happily: "Then please join the army!"

……

On the tenth day after capturing 5000 Xixia troops, Chen Qing went out again and led [-] people to fight towards Lintao Mansion.

At this time, it was late autumn in September, which is usually the middle and late stages of the war. In two months, it will start to snow, and the war will have to stop.

Of course, Chen Qing knew the information about Lintao Mansion very well. Lintao Mansion was mainly inhabited by Han people, Tubo people and Qiang people. Most of them are Qiang people and Tubo people, who make a living by raising livestock.

All the ethnic groups in Taofu have lived in peace for decades. Didao County is located in the middle of the Taoshui River Valley. Xihe Road Jingluefu or Jiedufu is located in Lindidao County. The residents in the county are mainly Han people, but Xixia also began to immigrate to Lintao. Many mansions and profitable businesses were seized by Xixia people. Han people mainly lived at the bottom, selling labor, or doing errands as merchants.

At present, Xixia has deployed 3000 troops in Lintao Prefecture, which are deployed in Didao County and several major fortresses, of which Didao County has [-] troops.

The Xixia Army also set up an observation post on the official road at the junction of Lintao and Gongzhou. Once the Song Army entered Lintao Mansion, the sentry post would immediately notify the general of Lintao County, and then the general would notify Lanzhou.

As night fell, Chen Qing led an army to temporarily camp in a pine forest on the east bank of the Taoshui River Valley. They didn't bring tents and luggage, so they could only wrap their bodies in military blankets to rest.

At this time, a group of Han people drove over with dozens of carts full of grain and slaughtered pigs and sheep. Chen Qingwenxin rushed over.

The two old men knelt down and saluted Chen Qing, "We are looking forward to the stars, the moon, and finally the general!"

Chen Qing hurriedly helped up the two old men, clasped his fists to the group, and said, "Thank you for your support to the Song Army. Please tell the people in the Taoshui River Valley that we will take back Lintao Mansion from the Xixia Army when we send troops this time. Overthrow the rule of the Xixia people who oppressed everyone."

"We must tell everyone."

At this time, Niu Gao brought up a man in his thirties and said to Chen Qing: "This is Wuzhi County, former Didao County. This time he is the one who organized the people to deliver food to us."

Wu Zhixian quickly stepped forward and bowed to salute, "Humble rank Wu Hongwei, see Jiedushi!"

Seeing that he was tall and majestic, Chen Qing smiled and said, "Emissary Liu Jinglue told me that there is a magistrate general on Xihe Road, so it must be you!"

Liu Ziyu told Chen Qing about the situation on Xihe Road, and specifically mentioned to him a commander who had been transferred from a military position to a magistrate. Liu Ziyu was temporarily appointed. Although he was a general, he did better than a civilian official. Let him serve as magistrate all the time, but the Ministry of Officials did not pass it. Like Wang Huai, he is an unnamed local official.

Wu Hongwei nodded, "It's a humble job, I don't know where Marshal Liu is now?"

"He is now quelling the barbarian rebellion on Guangnan West Road, a very distant place."

Chen Qing asked Wu Hongwei to sit down in the pine forest, and asked with a smile, "Has Wuzhi County always been in Lintao Prefecture?"

Wu Hongwei nodded, "The humble job is a local from Lintao Prefecture, protected by the local people, and Xixia people can't catch me!"

"If I want to attack Didao County, is there any shortcut?"

This is what Chen Qing is most concerned about. He did not carry a siege weapon, and planned to cut wood locally to make it. If there is a shortcut, it will save him a lot of trouble.

Wu Hongwei was born as a general, he understood what Chen Qing meant, and said with a smile: "It's really God's will!"

"How to say?"

"A section of the city wall in the southeast corner of the county seat is empty. A group of beggars hollowed out the soil inside the city wall, which became their habitat. Before I could fill in the soil, the golden soldiers came and killed me. With no soldiers under his command, he could only abandon the city and flee.

Later, Jin Bing appointed Zhu Sui, the county captain, as the county magistrate, and I told Zhu Sui not to fill in that section of the city wall, but to seal it with bricks.

Then the puppet Qi army came, and the Xixia people also came, but they didn't find that part of the city wall was empty. I said, sooner or later, the Song army will use this part of the city wall to attack the city, and now the Jiedu envoy will come Yes, isn't this God's will? "

Chapter 434 Didao

"Where is the magistrate Zhu Sui now?" Chen Qing asked.

Wu Hongwei shook his head, "After the Xixia people occupied Didao County, Zhu Sui disappeared. Some people said that he fled, but others said that he died. I really don't know about it."

Chen Qing smiled and said, "Go back and clean up. After I take Didao County, you will report back and continue to be the magistrate."

Wu Hongwei was a little confused: "Thank you for the kindness of the Jiedu envoy, the lowly position is not from a professional background, I am afraid that the official department..."

Chen Qing smiled faintly, "I might as well tell you the truth. The officials I appoint don't need the approval of the official department. Your salary is paid by the Jiedu Mansion, not the official department, so you don't need to have any psychological burden."

Wu Hongwei heaved a sigh of relief, "I understand!"

"How much food is there in Didao County? Does Wuzhi County know?"

"When the humble staff left, there were still [-] shi of grain in the county warehouse, which was the accumulated tax of Didao County over the years, which had never been handed over, nor was it transferred away by Jin Bing.

But the county warehouse is only a small part. The key is the Xihe Road Jingluefu warehouse, which is the big head. It is composed of dozens of large warehouses, and the grain, grass and materials are piled up inside. I don’t know how many low-level jobs there are, but one thing is certain They were not transferred by the Jin Bing and the Xixia people either. As far as I know, the Xixia wanted to set up the military commander's office in Lintao. "

The news of Wu Hongwei cheered Chen Qing up. He wished he could occupy Didao County immediately. Now he just encountered the problem of food shortage.

Chen Qing then asked Wu Hongwei to draw a picture, marking out the hole in the city wall. The whole hole was about seven or eight feet long, which was indeed a loophole in the siege.

Only then did Wu Hongwei take his leave and left with the people and dozens of carts.

The common people sent 100 shi of grain and more than [-] pigs and sheep, just to supplement the army's dry food. Chen Qing let the soldiers have a full meal, rested until the third watch, and continued to set off.

They were still more than sixty miles away from Didao County. The next afternoon, the army was still about ten miles away from the county seat. Come to support Didao County.

Chen Qing immediately made a decisive decision to annihilate the cavalry first, and then attack the city without delay.

The [-] army immediately accelerated and rushed towards the official road in the north of the county.

Cao Baozong received a distress letter from the Lintao defenders. Although he still had lingering fears, he had to rescue Lintao. He hesitated for two days, and finally ordered his deputy general Shang Dongyan to lead [-] troops to rescue Didao County.

Time was a bit delayed. Shang Dongyan was worried that Didao County was in danger, so he ordered the cavalry commander Tuoba Chengqing to lead [-] cavalry to rush to Didao County first.

Tuoba Chengqing led [-] cavalry and galloped all the way. When he was still [-] miles away from the county seat, Tuoba Chengqing ordered the horse to slow down. There were forests in front of him. He was vigilant, and there was likely to be an ambush by the Song army ahead. .

Tuoba Chengqing immediately sent dozens of spies to investigate the ambush ahead, while his [-] cavalry stopped moving forward, waiting for news from the spies.

Not long after, the spies rushed back and shouted: "There are cavalry from the Song army ahead, come here!"

The earth began to tremble, the sky rolled over like thunder, dust covered the sky, and the sky turned red.

Tuoba Chengqing turned pale with shock, and asked anxiously, "How many Song Army cavalry are there?"

"About 1 people!"

"Pass my order, retreat immediately! Retreat!"

Tuoba Chengqing became anxious immediately. Chen Qing must be one of the 3000 cavalrymen of the Song Army. He only had [-] troops, so he was no match at all. Dozens of big trees unexpectedly appeared on the official road, and a raging fire ignited, completely blocking the way to retreat north.

There was a sound of clappers on the hillside, and thousands of arrows shot out from the woods like raindrops, and shot at the Xixia cavalry who were a hundred steps away. Shouts and hisses resounded through the official road.

The Xixia soldiers rushed to the bushes in the west. Generally, there is no need to do so. Riding horses will never go into the bushes. It will cause huge damage to the horses. The situation in the bushes is complicated, such as stones, holes, sharp branches, etc. Very easy to slip and break a leg.

But now the Xixia cavalry are in a hurry and don't care about the danger of the bushes. The crossbow arrows are still coming like a storm. The five thousand Song army's crossbow arrows have been fired in the third round, and fifteen thousand crossbow arrows have been shot, countless The Xixia soldiers fell in the bushes and on the official road.

Five thousand soldiers of the Song army rushed out of the woods and shot arrows at the fleeing Xixia soldiers while running.

At this time, the Song Army cavalry in the distance had already slowed down their horses, and the Xixia cavalry rushed into a mile-wide bush. Of course, the Song Army had no reason to follow. Most of the casualties, they have achieved their goal, there is no need to catch up.

More than 1000 cavalry remained and ran through the bushes to the bank of Taoshui. They fled north along the river bank.

Chen Qing urged his horse to the side of the road, looked at the dead and wounded enemy troops on the official road and in the bushes, and ordered coldly: "No prisoners of war will be left, all will be executed, and buried with fire."

The soldiers worked together to kill all the wounded and surviving soldiers, pile up the corpses, burn them and bury them deeply.

In this battle, the Song army captured more than 2000 horses. At this time, dusk had quietly fallen.

……

On the head of Didao County, two thousand Xixia soldiers are waiting in battle. The fierce battle between the Song Army and the Xixia cavalry has affected the county.

The main general of the Xixia Army is called Xia Jin, and he is a general. He knows very well that the battle took place in the north, and it must be the Song army who went to stop the reinforcements going south.

The fighting in the north has stopped for half an hour, and there is still no Xixia reinforcements coming to contact, Xia Jin sank into the abyss with his heart, it seems that his guess is right, the reinforcements are in danger.

A little bit of time passed, and suddenly there was a commotion in the northern city. It turned out that an army appeared outside the northern city. They should be cavalry from the Song Army, lined up densely. head.

A soldier picked it up a long time ago and presented it to the chief general Xia Jin. It turned out to be the Song Army's "Report to Xixia Soldiers in the City".

The letter asked the Xixia army in the city to leave Didao County and go north within half an hour, and the Song army would not embarrass them. If they did not withdraw within half an hour, once the Song army broke through the city, they would be severely punished.

General Xia Jin tore the letter to shreds at the head of the city. He could not accept the request of the Song army at all, let alone give up Didao County and evacuate. If the Song army wanted to attack the city, he would fight to the death.

Of course Chen Qing knew that it was impossible for the Xixia army to give up the county and go northward. The reason why he made this request was to confuse the Xixia army on the top of the city and buy time for the Song army in the southeast corner.

At this time, Niu Gao led [-] soldiers to hide in the woods not far from the southeast corner. Zhao Xiaoyi led more than [-] soldiers to swim across the moat and lean close to the city wall. They needed to confirm what Wu Hongwei said was empty. Does it still exist?

Zhao Xiaoyi pulled out a very thin dagger and inserted it into the gap between the city bricks, cutting off the powder in the gap bit by bit. The county town has not been repaired for at least 20 years, the city bricks have become very loose, and the powder in the gap is even worse. The blade fell off, and after a while, the city bricks became loose.

The city bricks became looser and looser, and the soldiers of the Song Army slowly inserted two thin hooks made of fine steel into the gap between the city bricks, and hooked out a piece of city brick weighing tens of kilograms little by little.

The soldier drew his knife and stretched into the cave to check it out. It was indeed empty, and there was a musty smell wafting out.

"General, it's empty!"

Zhao Xiaoyi looked at the top of the city, at least there were no soldiers in front of the battlements.He ordered in a low voice: "Do it!"

The soldiers worked together and poured a large amount of water from the moat on the city bricks. The dry powder in the gaps between the city bricks turned into mud, which made it easier to remove the city bricks. In just a moment, a large hole a person's height and two feet wide appeared in front of their eyes.

Chapter 435 Take Over

Zhao Xiaoyi flashed into the big hole, turned on the torch, and a big messy hole appeared in front of them. It was at least seven or eight feet long, and someone lived in it. Several stoves for heating.

He poked around dozens of times with his spear, and a large group of mice came out of the darkness in panic, squeaking like a black shadow, running past Zhao Xiaoyi's feet and fleeing desperately to the outside of the cave, which really scared Zhao Xiaoyi. .

He checked again, then turned around and said, "No problem, everyone come in!"

The scouts entered the city wall one after another. They followed the same pattern and quickly removed the wall bricks inside, revealing a large hole with a width of one foot. Outside was an abandoned temple, whether it was the Temple of the Earth or the Temple of the City God.

The scouts put on the plank and waved their hands. Niu Gao was overjoyed and shouted in a low voice, "On the first battalion!"

A commander led a thousand soldiers to run quickly, rushed across the moat, and ran from the city cave to the city gate...

Immediately after the second battalion, the third battalion, and the fourth battalion... In just two quarters of an hour, the entire army of 300 Song soldiers entered the city, and instantly captured the south gate of the city, which was guarded by only [-] people. Yang Zaixing had been waiting for a long time with [-] cavalry. When the city gate opened and the drawbridge was lowered, the [-] cavalry mobilized at the same time, and rushed towards the county town like lightning...

The two thousand Xixia soldiers in the city were finally forced to surrender. They were blocked on the top of the city by the Song army. After the Thousand God Arm soldiers shot and killed hundreds of people from a long distance, the soldiers completely collapsed and surrendered one after another.

The main general Xia Jin was killed in the first round of the breakout battle. He took the lead, but was shot with more than [-] arrows by the powerful crossbow and died instantly.

Teams of Xixia soldiers who took off their armor and wore white clothes were escorted down the city. Thousands of soldiers took control of the whole city, especially Niu Gao, who was the first to rush into the city, led [-] soldiers to quickly control the warehouse.

The warehouse in Didao County is what Chen Qing values ​​most. There are two warehouses in Didao County, one is the county warehouse and the other is the warehouse of Anping Jinglue Mansion. In seven or eight years, no supplies have been shipped out. When Wu Hongwei was the county magistrate, [-] shi of grain were stored in the county warehouse alone, let alone the Jinglue Mansion warehouse.

Chen Qing was short of food now, and one of the important reasons why he attacked Lintao Mansion was to seize food and supplies.

Yang Zaixing was still clearing out the soldiers on the top of the city, Chen Qing brought more than a hundred soldiers to the warehouse of Jinglue Mansion, Niu Gao brought a middle-aged man, "This person is the warehouse manager!"

The steward knelt down and kowtowed, "The villain sees Jiedushi!"

"Are you Chinese?"

"The villain is a Han Chinese. He has always been a warehouse manager. He has a humble boss who is an official of Xixia. He should be at home now."

"How much food is there in the warehouse of Jinglue Mansion?" Chen Qing asked anxiously.