Placid Chang'an

Su Cen immediately understood what Li Shi meant.

He wanted to borrow the troops of Zhechong Mansion that surrounded Chang'an City.

And these soldiers in Zhechong Mansion are soldiers on the surface, but they are actually civilians to a large extent.

Back then, when the Taizu Emperor pacified the world, he first had to have soldiers in his hands, but the soldiers were all in the hands of those nobles from the previous dynasty, so where did he get the soldiers for him to use?In desperation, they can only absorb soldiers from the people and turn farmers into soldiers.When the supply of soldiers was tense, there was even a case of "Emperor Wu destroying the Buddha", taking all the monks and land in the Buddhist temple for his own use to expand the supply of troops and finances.

After the world was stabilized, Emperor Taizu was prepared for danger in times of peace, and he did not abolish this policy. He still recruited people from all over the country to join the army in preparation for wartime, and set up the Hushi Mansion under the jurisdiction of the Hushi Mansion, which was the prototype of the Zhechong Mansion.When Emperor Taizong arrived, he abolished and rebuilt the Hussar Mansion on the original basis, and concentrated the main force on the Guannei Road, which gradually became the current military situation of "centering and controlling the outside".

During the heyday of the Zhechong Mansion, there were more than [-] treasuries across the country, of which more than half were located on the inside of the Guan. The barbarian broke in and was able to defend his lair.

In the early years, the Zhechong Mansions in various places had to go to Beijing to take charge of the defense of the capital. Later, they might not have their own people to worry about, so they replaced this matter with the Beijing-China Forbidden Army.

Since Li Shi defeated the Turkic Ashina Tribe, the border has been stable for nearly ten years. Today’s Zhechong Mansion is combined with the land equalization system, fighting in wartime, plowing the fields in peacetime, and holding a hoe for a long time, naturally it can’t hold a knife. up.

Li Sheng summoned this group of people, but he didn't open the city gate to let them in, because he also knew that the soldiers in the Zhechong mansion were too lazy to make a living, and he didn't think about relying on them to force the palace. It was nothing more than a bluff to scare the ministers in the city who had never seen the world.

But from Li Shi's point of view, it's not always the case.

According to the different regulations of the Zhechong Mansion, it is also divided into upper, middle and lower classes. The upper mansion has 200 people, the middle mansion has 1000 people, and the lower mansion has 800 people.According to what Qi Lin said before, at least a dozen soldiers and horses had to come, and there were tens of thousands of these people.And there are only [-] imperial guards in Chang'an City. These people may not all obey Li Sheng's orders. In addition, he has to divide some troops to besiege Daming Palace. The remaining Chang'an City has twelve gates. There are only [-] people per door.Tens of thousands of people confronted hundreds of people, even if one person went up and kicked the door, he would have to get down.

What's more, they still have a trump card here.

The reason why Li Shi was so famous on the battlefield was not only because of the suppression of numbers, but also because of Li Shi's skill in controlling soldiers and using them like a god.A group of Tuduo Sanwei terrified the Turkic people. When Li Shi was there, there were no Turkic people thirty miles away from the border.

Thinking about it carefully, it is reasonable for Li Sheng to be afraid of him, because Li Shi is a ready-made military talisman, where he is, all the soldiers and horses in the world are under his control.It is also a touchstone, and any wounded soldiers can be turned into an elite team in his hands.

Li Shi asked, "Who are the people here?"

After thinking about it for a while, Qi Lin slowly figured out the key points, and replied: "These troops are all temporarily recruited from the Zhechong Mansion near Gyeonggi. It's all explored."

There was a stone table in the yard. As soon as Qi Lin sat down, Qu Ling'er brought a pen and paper. Qi Lin wrote down all the things he found that day, where did he come from, how many soldiers and horses he brought, and who led them. While writing, he said: "These people are now blocked outside the city gate just like us, but they don't seem to be in a hurry. They live comfortably by drinking and eating meat every day."

Li Shi sneered, "Of course they are not in a hurry. They don't have to go up and work hard if they have food and drink. They just wait for the people in the city to fight to the death first. They just call the rest of them masters."

Qi Lin nodded, but his heart became more and more disdainful. Back then, they threw their heads and blood on the battlefield in order to change the people behind them to have a safe meal and a safe sleep.It has only been a few years, and it has evolved to the point where the soldiers stand by and watch outside, watching the people in the city in dire straits through an insignificant gate, but they are indifferent.

After writing the details of each Zhechong mansion, Qi Lin stood up and handed it to Li Shi.

Li Shi took a cursory glance at the list and then handed it back, Su Cen followed behind and took it.

Li Shi said: "I have acquaintances."

Qi Lin nodded, "You mean Kang Zengshou?"

Qu Ling'er was curious for a moment, she leaned forward and asked, "What's wrong with this person?"

Qi Lin said: "When I was in Suzhou, this man served as the lieutenant general under my master."

Qu Ling'er frowned, "That's a good thing, maybe he can remember the old master's friendship and turn around to help us."

Qi Lin: "Back then, because he disobeyed the military order, he left his post to go drink without permission. His master beat him with fifty military sticks and drove him back from Suzhou."

Qu Linger: "..."

"So, there is also an acquaintance of mine here." Su Cen smiled and put down the list.

"Who is it?" Qu Ling'er probed over again.

Su Cen tapped the black and white words with her knuckles, and Qu Ling'er's face turned dark instantly when she saw those three words.

Su Cen smiled helplessly, "Song Jiancheng, my immediate boss back then, was pushed away by me later."

Qu Ling'er: "..." Don't you have any acquaintances who are not evil?

After a short rest, it was confirmed early the next morning that Chen Ling's life was not in danger for the time being. Li Shi and Su Cen each brought their own people and split into two groups to meet their "acquaintances".

Qu Ling'er and Su Cen were on their way together, feeling anxious, "Your boss surnamed Song, I don't remember being a good friend. Back then, in order to solve the case as soon as possible, he almost took a fat man to cover his bag. How could he be here?" here?"

Su Cen shook his head: "After that incident, I remember that he seemed to be transferred to Kuizhou. After these years of management, it is not surprising that he has become a long history."

Qu Ling'er worried: "You have such a deep bond with him, can he help you?"

Su Cen pondered for a moment, and finally he could only say softly: "Family and country righteousness and personal grievances, I hope he can improve a bit after these years."

Qu Ling'er curled her lips, "I'm afraid it's because he hasn't made progress, but his memory has grown, and he remembers that you drove him away from Chang'an City back then."

"Actually, there was something wrong with me back then," Su Cen sighed, "I was too high-minded and irritable. There should have been a more tactful way to prevent such troubles."

"Brother Su, you are right," Qu Ling'er said categorically, "If you are guilty, you are guilty, if you are not guilty, you are not guilty. It is wrong for someone surnamed Song to use innocent people as punishment. What is wrong with you stopping him?"

In Qu Ling'er's perception, right and wrong are clearly distinguished between black and white, very much like him when he first entered the officialdom, although sometimes it was inevitable that he got into a dead end and gained a reputation of being ignorant of the world, but he had no other distractions and devoted himself to the days of calling out for the little bit of justice in his heart. , it really reveals joy from body to heart to the bottom of the bone.

After thinking about it, if he hadn't taken such a decisive attitude to beg Li Shi at the beginning, I am afraid that these things would not have happened.

Su Cen smiled lightly, "Okay, I'm right."

Arriving in front of the army in a blink of an eye, Su Cen first took a look. There were about a thousand people in the Zhechong mansion where Song Jiancheng lived, and they camped outside the Yanxing Gate.It seems that they just had breakfast, these people are still gathered together in groups of three or four, guarding the bonfire that has not been extinguished, somewhat at a loss mixed with at a loss, presumably many people have not figured out why they are here What are you doing.

Su Cen led Qu Ling'er through the crowd. Some of these people raised their heads to look at them, but no one stepped forward to stop them.It wasn't until Su Cen and the others reached the middle army that someone who seemed to be the leader stood up and asked "what are you doing?"

Su Cen stopped walking, and said in her heart that it would be a lie not to be disappointed.If he was an assassin spy sent by the enemy, he might rush into the main tent and take the captain's head, and these people might not feel that something happened.

Su Cen rushed forward and said, "I'm here to ask to see your long history Song Jiancheng."

The man looked at Su Cen suspiciously again, "Who are you?"

"Old friend," Su Cen said deliberately, "you just say, it was Mr. Zhang who asked me to come."

Zhang Jun is Song Jiancheng's teacher, and Song Jiancheng will not deny Zhang Jun's face.After a while, I saw someone coming out from behind the person who had reported the letter, and when he came close, it was indeed Song Jiancheng.

Song Jiancheng was also taken aback when he saw Su Cen, "Why are you?"

Su Cen cupped his hands, "Master Song, it's been a long time."

Song Jiancheng snorted coldly, "I can't bear such a big gift from Mr. Su."

Song Jiancheng is indeed a grudge, Su Cen smiled helplessly, "I owe Master Song this gift, and I should make it up."

When Song Jiancheng was demoted and left Beijing, he was imprisoned in Xingqing Palace by Li Shi, and he had already left when he came out.Although Song Jiancheng's fate was mostly his own fault, but the disaster happened because of him, and he took advantage of it afterwards and replaced Song Jiancheng's seat, after all, he felt a little bit sorry.

Song Jiancheng's expression was still unkind, and he looked at Su Cen coldly and waited for him to explain his intention.

Su Cen roughly explained the current situation, and finally said bluntly: "I came this time to borrow your troops."

Song Jiancheng looked at Su Cen silently and flicked his fingers for a few times, then he suddenly raised his lips and smiled: "Okay, you kneel down and give me three more kowtows, I'll think about it."

At the same time, Kang Zengshou camped.

The person in front of him knelt down with a thud, and the middle-aged man with a big shoulder and round waist knelt on the ground and choked for a while, "My lord...you are still alive, my lord! I knew it, I knew it, you are blessed and blessed, and you will be fine."

Li Shi stepped forward over Kang Zengshou who was kneeling on the ground, and sat down at the main seat, pointing casually with his fingertips on the table in front of him, "Old Kang, I haven't seen you for a few years, you are so courageous, you have learned to rebel."

The hot tears in Kang Zengshou's eyes were still wet, and he raised his head in shock, "Why did the prince say that?"

"According to my military system of the Great Zhou Dynasty, military deployment requires combining the talisman and the king into one to dispatch troops. You appeared here without being recruited by the emperor. If it's not a rebellion, what is it?"

"Wang, wang, lord..." Kang Zengshou widened his eyes and almost stood up and rushed to Li Shi, then knelt down under Qi Lin's cold gaze, stepped forward and took a few steps on his knees, took out two bronze medals from his arms and handed them to Li Shi. Go forward, "I came here by order of the emperor."

Qi Lin was in charge of presenting the things in Kang Zengshou's hand to Li Shi. Li Shi looked at the two fish-shaped tokens on the left and right in front of him and fell into deep thought.The general talisman and the king talisman, which were like fake replacements, had been handed over to Wen Xiu himself, but he did not expect that they would appear in Kang Zengshou's hands.

After a while, Li Shi curled his lips into a smile for no reason, and cursed, "Little bastard."

This sentence was a bit abrupt, Qi Lin didn't understand, but his face remained calm, only Kang Zengshou knelt down anxiously, with his neck stretched out, and asked cautiously: "My lord, can this talisman be fake?" ?”

Li Shi raised his hand after a while, "Get up."

Kang Zengshou heaved a sigh of relief because he didn't know, stood up and followed Qi Lin to the side, not daring to speak for a while.

Li Shi sat leaning against the couch, holding the Wang Talisman in his hand and lightly traced the mottled lines on it.He originally thought that the troops of the Zhechong Mansion outside the city were all seconded by Li Sheng to force the palace to create momentum, but now it seems that it is not always the case.

There are also some people here who were transferred by the little emperor.

On the surface, it seemed that in order to stand against Li Sheng, some troops were conscripted from all over the country as if they were in a hurry, and they were besieged by Li Sheng in the Daming Palace before they even had time to collect the Wangfu, which symbolized the unity of imperial power.The troops who came here were all in a weak state, so Li Sheng didn't even bother to use his energy to deal with it, so he simply left the troops on both sides outside the city together to check and balance each other.

And when Li Shi saw this king talisman, he suddenly understood that these people were left to him by the little emperor.

And the people who were picked out are also very interesting, just like Kang Zengshou, who has some issues with Li Shi on the surface, but secretly thinks about Li Shi's kindness.

This little thing actually made a move under Li Sheng's nose.

"My lord..." Kang Zengshou waited for a long time without any movement, and asked tentatively, "Why did the little emperor call us here? Is this city to be attacked or not?"

Li Shi raised his eyes, and said to Kang Zengshou: "It's been a long time in peace and stability, do you still remember how to hold a gun?"

In a word, Kang Zengshou's eye circles turned red suddenly, "It's worth dying to fight with the prince again!"