Promotion and fortune in Song Dynasty

After Lu Ci sent away the culprit who caused him to be distracted from time to time and his efficiency in handling official affairs dropped slightly, Lu Ci quickly restored his life to a rhythm that he could fully control.

From the perspective of other officials who didn't know Zhang Kang's job, but only knew that he had to run around, Lu Jiedu was just busier than usual.

Only Teng Zongliang vaguely smelled a hint of conspiracy from the seemingly peaceful calm.

In his opinion, this smiling Lu fox is probably planning something secretly again.

Teng Zongliang's conjecture was quickly fulfilled—on the fourth day after Di Qing left, General Lu Ci had finished his business, and was about to leave the hall to go home. Brother Teng got together in private. It’s rare to be free tonight, why don’t Brother Teng go back later and accompany me and Brother Zhu to a restaurant for a drink?”

When Teng Zongliang heard this, he was reflexively surprised instead of happy, and asked suspiciously: "Is there such a good thing?"

Why does it sound quite wrong?

Lu Ci smiled: "Brother Teng made such an expression, it really makes me sad."

Teng Zongliang's eyes became more suspicious.

Just thinking that there was Zhudi going with him, he lowered his guard a little.

After all, Brother Zhu, a poor man who obeyed Lu Huhu's words, was often ordered to keep his feet off the ground since he came to Qinzhou. Recently, it was even more exaggerated. Lu Ci inspected the construction of villages and camps in various counties.

No matter how ruthless Lu Hu is...he wouldn't be so mad, right?

After persuading himself, Teng Zongliang let go of his doubts and went to the banquet happily.

But after going to the restaurant, he immediately realized sadly that he had been fooled again!

The so-called small drink was that sweet, non-alcoholic fruit brew, and before he had time to drink a few cups with a look of disgust, Lu Ci started it calmly.

"Li Yuanhao transferred the heavy troops away and rushed to attack Suzhou. The reserve is empty. It is really a great opportunity that should not be missed."

Teng Zongliang almost choked on a mouthful of fruit brew: "What are you thinking about?! Just because you have officials to support you, do you want to die?"

The implication of Lu Ci's words could not be more obvious: I am afraid that I want to send troops without order, so I will strike first, and I will be defenseless after beating Li Yuanhao!

Regardless of whether this matter is successful or not, Lu Ci is doomed to get no good fruit: if he wins by chance, the merit may not be overshadowed. If you want to leave an excuse to the civil servants, your career will be hindered in the future; if Li Yuanhao sets a trap before leaving and defeats Lu Ci, and the sneak attack fails, Lu Ci will be ruined at the slightest and his future will be ruined. At worst, his life will be lost up!

Even Zhu Shuo, who has always admired Lu Ci, was taken aback for a moment, and immediately joined in persuasion: "This matter must never be done, please think again, Brother Lu."

Lu Ci said innocently: "When did I say that I would lead troops to attack his rear? It is clear that you misunderstood."

Teng Zongliang's eyes were full of doubts: "Isn't that exactly what Brother Ci said just now?"

Lu Ci laughed and said, "Brother Teng was joking. I'm just a scholar, and I only have a rough understanding of the art of war. I have neither the experience of fighting the enemy nor the ability to plan strategies. How can I overestimate my strengths? If they are all sent out, why not seek their own death?"

If Li Yuanhao had just seized the throne a few months ago and his position was unstable, he would have had a chance.

As a result, the imperial court ignored his vigorous remonstrance, and watched Li Yuanhao force his uncle away, poison his mother, kill his mother's family members, drown his wife and family... and other coquettish manipulations to completely consolidate the imperial power. Early.

Since the great fighter opportunity has been wasted, how can there be any reason to bump into the opponent when he is in high spirits?

Li Yuanhao is cruel, cunning, cold-blooded and ruthless, but he is by no means a reckless man who only knows arrogance.

If you underestimated him and rushed straight to his back nest rashly, you would definitely hit the iron plate.

Lu Ci obviously would not do such a risky business.

Teng Zongliang and Zhu Shuo looked at each other with doubts.

Just talking about eloquence, Teng Zongliang knew that he was no match for Lu Ci, so he could only be vigilant: "I only hope that what brother Ci said is true."

Lu Ci said helplessly: "I don't want you to pester this place anymore, but I have serious matters to discuss with you."

Zhu said and nodded: "Brother Lu, please tell me."

Lu Ci raised the corners of his mouth in satisfaction, and put aside what Teng Zongliang heard, which could be called a fantasy: "I want to build a city in Houqiaochuan, Brother Zhu, would you like to go?"

Originally, he only had the prototype of this idea. Considering the lack of capable executive candidates, Fang has been shelving it.

This time, when he accidentally asked Brother Zhu to inspect the situation in the fortress, he discovered Zhu Brother's talent in this area, and the thought that had been suppressed for a long time was ready to move again.

Without waiting for Zhu Shuo to agree, Teng Zongliang got up suddenly and said in shock, "You are probably dreaming!"

Houqiaochuan was the place Li Yuanhao had to pass through when he sent troops to the Great Song Dynasty from Xixia. If he could build a city here, it would undoubtedly block the lifeline of Li Yuanhao's ambition and make him feel like a thorn in his throat on the way to attack.

But they knew that Li Yuanhao was not a fool. The other party knew the importance of this place, so how could they allow them to build such a city under their noses!

Even if Li Yuanhao himself was busy with his expedition to Suzhou, the Lingzhou army, which was left behind by his confidant general, would definitely arrive within six days if he galloped all out.

Lu Ci was not in a hurry to talk to Teng Zongliang, but only looked at Zhudi seriously: "I can only give Zhudi ten days of kung fu at most, can Zhudi do it?"

He is not worried about the future safety: as long as the city can really be built and the gate is closed in time, those Xixia cavalry who rushed to attack will be completely useless in the absence of siege equipment.

Without Li Yuanhao's own order, no matter how bold that confidant is, he would not dare to make his own decisions and adjust those heavy and expensive equipment.

Zhu said that he was not in a hurry to agree, but pondered for a long time, then raised his eyes, and said firmly, "I will never fail Brother Lu's trust."

"Okay." Lu Ci said bluntly: "Ten days later, you go to Li Chao to lead a team of soldiers and horses. You don't need to go around and go straight to Houqiaochuan."

Zhu said that he didn't ask too many questions, but nodded more briskly and said, "Okay."

Teng Zongliang was stunned, and after a while he found his voice, and said in a daze, "... so this mere fruit wine can also make people drunk?"

But if he remembered correctly, it was like drinking fruit wine for fun, and he was the only one drinking it from the beginning to the end.

Otherwise, how could the two people in front of them be more drunk than him?

Lu Ci didn't explain too much to the two friends, let alone how he won the precious ten-day kung fu, but quickly turned to Teng Zongliang who was still in a daze: "Since Brother Zhu has to be busy with this matter, he Brother Teng, please take care of the rest of the affairs at hand."

Teng Zongliang was confused, so he subconsciously agreed: "Oh, oh..."

"What Zhudi has done is just to ensure the repair and construction of the fortress." Lu Ci smiled and gave him a brief introduction: "Those large and small castles with scattered populations or few people use them, you need to trouble Brother Teng to bring someone to dismantle them. It's clean."

Teng Zongliang: "...you have a lot of things to do, why do you still have time to dismantle them?"

Lu Ci asked back: "If I don't demolish it, won't it become a stronghold along the way for Xixia soldiers to station and rest?"

Can only camp on the broken tiles, compared with having some dilapidated houses that can shelter from the wind and rain, the pressure on the soldiers marching in a hurry is doubled.

Lu Ci added: "Brother Teng is done with all this work, just in time for the last wave of spring harvest. After planting this time, the city has stockpiled enough grain and grass for five years, and there will be no people left in the farmland for the time being."

Teng Zongliang blurted out: "How did you get so much food?!"

Not to mention the thriving Qinzhou just on the right track, even the south bank of the Yangtze River, which is rich in water and soil, under the two taxes, few people dare to praise such a seaport.

Lu Ci said bluntly: "Qinzhou is in danger of survival, and everything must be prepared first. Of course, we have to apply to the imperial court for tax exemption, so as to stockpile food and grass for emergencies."

The two taxes for one year less, plus the savings in the first year, plus the harvest at the beginning of this year, is enough for the population of Qinzhou, which is far less than that of other prefectures, to feed for four or five years.

Teng Zongliang: "..."

Compared with some officials who often have to swell their faces to pretend to be fat for the sake of political achievements, and never pay two taxes in disasters, Xiao Taotie is really too 'sincere'.

Zhu said with a thought: "Brother Lu, do you think..."

Lu Ci smiled slightly, affirming his guess: "Earlier is this year, later is next year."

Regardless of the success or failure of the Tubo side, after Li Yuanhao finished cleaning up Suzhou, he would not be able to sit still in the face of Qingtang or Dasong.

According to Lu Ci's calculations, the war must be in the near future - since Li Yuanhao took the throne, he has recruited nearly 50 troops, and all the food, grass and weapons in the treasury have been distributed.

If it drags on, Da Song has strong financial resources, so he is not afraid at all.But the militaristic Li Yuanhao is completely different: his 50 army is mighty and powerful, but the consumption is also an astronomical figure that Xixia cannot bear for a long time.

The biggest fat sheep is obviously not the hard bone of Tubo, but the Song Dynasty who has always been weak and easy to bully.

Of course, it is Da Song without Cao Wei.

Lu Ci believed that, with Li Yuanhao's rough but subtle style, if he really wanted to attack, he would probably choose the autumn ripening season when he could replenish food and grass on the spot, and fight until the cold winter time when they were most used to fighting.

If we continue to plant crops this year, wouldn't it be a loss to the important folks here, not to mention giving them the latest crops in vain?

Teng Zongliang gradually caught up with the rhythm, and replied: "Okay, I will wait for a few more days, and then I will give orders, and then personally supervise, and never let anyone stay outside."

Lu Ci nodded in satisfaction, and did not forget to order: "Before you evacuate, remember to sow all the seeds in the grain depot that I specially left for you."

Teng Zongliang asked curiously: "Where did you find those seeds? They don't look like ordinary wheat seeds, but they are mysterious."

He has been in charge of supervising the farming work for some years, but he failed to recognize what kind of seeds those were. He only saw that the grains were full, and they were probably good.

Lu Ci said kindly: "It's not surprising that you haven't seen it before. It's a grass seed that I specially found from Fenzhou. It is more than enough to deceive Brother Teng by being deceived into wrong crops and buying these seeds.”

Teng Zongliang: "..."

This little glutton is really shady.

The author has something to say: Notes:

This miraculous project, which was quickly built within ten days, is Dashun City, which was built by Fan Zhongyan in history to fight against Li Yuanhao.

"Continued Zizhi Tongjian Changbian · Volume [-]" 'The mapu village in the northwest of Qingzhi, at the mouth of the Houqiao River, is deep in the belly of the thief.Fan Zhongyan wanted to conquer the city, and he must fight to save the thieves. He secretly dispatched his son Chunyou and Fan General Zhao Ming to occupy his land first, and then led his troops to follow.The generals didn't know where to go at the beginning, they traveled to Rouyuan, and they began to give orders, and the boards were built, and the city was completed in ten days'.