Unsurprisingly, Emperor Sui Yang's edict to let the people of the whole country live in the city, who worked hard to perform tricks to die, triggered a new round of large-scale civil uprisings, making the already extremely chaotic world even more turbulent.
Of course, the starting point of Emperor Sui Yang's edict is good. The purpose is to strengthen the walls and clear the country and protect the people, so that the thieves and bandits running around can't easily rob food, can't replenish the soldiers, fall into the dilemma of having no food and no soldiers, and let the unarmed common people Having a relatively safe place to live, and being very careful to ask the local officials to grant the people nearby land, so that the people can farm and work and retreat to the city to seek protection, can indeed limit the growth and development of the uprising army at the end of the Sui Dynasty to a certain extent.
The starting point is very good, but the question is, where does the money, food and materials for building the castle come from? Even if people can be recruited by labor to do hard labor, the common people need food to work, and money to buy bricks, tiles, wood and stones. There are 1,255 counties in 190 counties in the world, and every county has to build post pavilions, villages and docks. Castle, what a huge number is this? What kind of horrible money, food and materials will be spent? Isn’t this astronomical amount of money, food, and materials meant to be exploited from the common people? Can you still expect the public servants of the Sui Dynasty to build castles and houses for the common people at their own expense? Don't talk about the ancient times with low productivity, even now, you probably haven't heard of such a good thing, right
Taking a ten thousand step back, even if ordinary people are willing to raise funds to build houses and castles for their own safety, and are willing to pay for food and do hard labor, but such a large-scale project, the honest and honest public servants of the Sui Dynasty will not be able to do it, extort and fill their own pockets reason? There is also the matter of granting farmland nearby for farming. The fields are fertile, thin, watery, and droughty, and the fields are re-divided. You have something to do with the government and give some gifts. Do you still want to take those barren and thin Susukida? Ordinary people who have no money and nothing to do, how can they be willing to hand over the irrigated fields that they have worked so hard to cultivate and plant to others? The leading cadres snatched away your fertile land and gave it to their developer brother-in-law. Do you have any thoughts of desperately trying
So, as a matter of course, the chaotic world of the Sui Dynasty immediately became even more chaotic because of this decree, and the effect was immediate. In less than a month after the edict was circulated to the world, more than half of the 190 counties of the Sui Dynasty appeared. The new rebel army was killed, officials were rebelled everywhere, money and food were plundered, wars were raging all over the world, and the old thief leader of Shanggu, Xuba, who made a lot of trouble, directly established his own country as Yan, openly colluded with the Turks to betray the country and proclaimed himself king, and Zhuojun also appeared. A ruthless man named Yang Zhongxu directly led the army to besiege Beiping City. The regular army of the Sui Dynasty, who had been forced to gradually transfer its combat power to the country, went around to fight the rebellion and fight the fire, but they still pressed the gourd and raised the ladle.
The same is true of the Qingxu battlefield in Shandong, which is already in a mess. Of course, the big and small thieves who have already rioted have taken the opportunity to expand their team power. Even Chen Yingliang's base camp, Qiaojun, where the situation is relatively good, has also emerged a rebel army. Fortunately, the Jialuo Demon King Zhu Can has already been recruited by Chen Yingliang through the hands of Yun Dashaoqing, so the rebellion in Qiaojun did not expand, and soon It was wiped out by the government soldiers who had returned to Qiaojun from the Liaodong battlefield, and it was not so large that they forced Chen Yingliang to return to his teacher's lair.
There are too many debts to worry about, and too many lice do not itch. Faced with this corrupt situation, the magistrates of other counties and counties are naturally complaining and suffering, but Zhang Xutuo and Chen Yingliang, who are the chief and deputy commanders of the bandit suppression in the 12 counties, do not take it seriously—accurate Speaking of which, they are already numb. They all know that it is impossible to wipe out the bandits and bandits in the Qingxu territory of Shandong Province, and they also know that it is useless to worry about and work hard, so they simply don’t worry about that and suffer that crime. Stare at the threatening thieves under his rule.
In the south of Pengcheng, where refugees are everywhere, a big thief named Wei Qilin really appeared, and he gathered more than ten thousand people to rebel. Originally, Chen Yingliang didn't care about such a scale, and he was too lazy to bother with him, but this guy is so immortal that he wants to imitate Zhai. The idea of looting the water transport and leading the thieves to harvest grain touched Chen Yingliang's bottom line. In order not to give Emperor Sui Yang a chance to get mad, and to avoid giving his political opponents an excuse to impeach him, Chen Yingliang had no choice but to hurry up and get the money. When the army went south, they caught this gang of thieves in the south of Tongji Canal and beat them violently, cursing while beating, "Call your mother to cause trouble for me! Tell your mother to cause trouble for me!"
Unable to withstand Chen Yingliang's brutality, Wei Qilin had no choice but to flee for his life in the southwest direction. He did not dare to escape into Qiaojun, the old nest where Chen Yingliang had arranged for heavy protection. Instead, he chose to flee to Ruyin, where the army was weak. The border line is very narrow, and Shansang County in the north happened to have Wu Que, the deputy captain of Qiao County, who was in town. One went south to intercept and the other chased after him. It was easy to wipe out the remnants of Wei Qilin. The generals of Qiao County also suggested Chen Yingliang to do this. Chen Yingliang But with a big wave of his hand, he said generously: "Let him go, as long as he doesn't stay in Pengcheng and become a disaster."
Chen Yingliang suddenly became so generous. Of course, the generals of Qiao County were puzzled and asked the reason. Chen Yingliang replied helplessly: "Can we suppress it? After suppressing the southern one, the northern one reappeared. Instead of fighting for a The remnants of the thieves are wasting time, it is better to save some energy and stay to deal with other thieves."
After hearing Chen Yingliang's words, all the generals in Qiao County were silent, and Yuan Tiangang, who had gradually put his energy on the military, was still a little worried, and reminded Chen Yingliang in private: "Deputy envoy, Tongji Canal is not afraid. The foreign rogues are afraid of the local thieves who are familiar with the terrain. The rebel Wei Qilin is a native of Pengcheng. If he is not driven out and killed, if he returns to the mountain after our army withdraws, Tongjiqu will never have peace. .”
Chen Yingliang sighed, and refused to explain in detail, but said vaguely: "There is no way, because of some reasons, I can't let the army be too tired, so our future strategy of suppressing thieves also needs to be adjusted, and we should try not to send troops if we can." , the rebels can fight away if they can, try not to fight bloody battles, it is useful to keep the army."
"Why?" Yuan Tiangang was a little confused, and quickly reminded: "Also, if you do this, the deputy envoy, what will the court do if you pursue it?"
"It's okay, it'll be fine after a few more months." Chen Yingliang continued to answer vaguely, and then said: "Of course, I have a way and confidence in the imperial court, so you don't have to worry about it. By the way, there is one more thing. If you have a residence report, send it to me right away, it will be of great use to me." Yuan Tiangang was puzzled, but seeing Chen Yingliang's resolute attitude, Yuan Tiangang couldn't say anything more, so he had to promise to accept orders.
In this way, the sun rises and sets, the tide grows, spring goes to summer, and in a blink of an eye, it is the end of June, the eleventh year of Daye. During this period, Chen Yingliang is indeed using his troops according to his own established strategy. If they don’t move out, as long as the thieves are a little bit small, they will be handed over to the local government to clean up. They will only concentrate on training the main force under their command. The team expanded to more than 20,000 people in one hundred regiments, and secretly prepared some firearms, patiently waiting for a major historical event to happen.
At the same time, Chen Yingliang did pay attention to every court report, especially the tour route of Emperor Sui Yang. Between the capitals, not only did they no longer tour the world with great fanfare, but they once again issued an edict to build a large number of dragon boats. This also made Chen Yingliang very worried. He was afraid that the historical trajectory would change too much. Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty would go south to Yangzhou this year. I like Mengjiang. At that time, Chen Yingliang, who is in charge of a long section of the Tongji Canal, will have to suffer.
By the way, during this period, Chen Yingliang also noticed a strange thing—his uncle Pei Renji, whom he respected quite a lot, actually went to the table to sue the general of You Xiaowei, Li Hun, for attempting to rebel. They all had their heads chopped off. At one point, Chen Yingliang was curious and wanted to get to the bottom of it, but when he heard that Yu Wenshu and Pei Yun were the presiding judges, and that Pei Hongce's deputy, Li Min, was involved in the trial, Chen Yingliang immediately dismissed the idea, and only improved his understanding of Pei Renji in his heart. His vigilance—this venerable Uncle Pei is not a good person.
It is comfortable to have a powerful backer in the imperial court. Although there are already as many thieves and thieves as there are sands in the Ganges in the four prefectures, Chen Yingliang still conceals the report if he dares, avoids the war when he can, and lives a very comfortable life. It's just that the generals of the Sui army were very puzzled by this. When the rest was sufficient, the generals of the Sui army asked for meritorious service in the battle more than once. Chen Yingliang made various excuses to refuse each time, and was willing to let the main force fight again no matter what. A decisive battle on the scale of the county.
Of course, there will be retribution if you don’t work hard. On the third day of July in the eleventh year of Daye, on the third day of the second half of the year, an urgent report was sent from the East China Sea, saying that it was Yan Xuanzheng, the big bandit who started an incident in Qi County in the first month of this year. After successfully throwing off the pursuit of Gao Jianpi by Huben Lang, he has already invaded Donghai County along the coastline, and gathered a large number of refugees and bandits in Donghai County, gathering more than 40,000 people, seriously threatening the safety of Donghai County. He stopped and continued to flee southward, entrenched in Donghai County, where the current officers and soldiers and large groups of rebels are very empty, and put on a posture to manage Donghai County as a nest.
Hearing this news, Chen Yingliang was dumbfounded on the spot, because the scale of Yan Xuanzheng's bandit army was already large enough to take part in the Sui Yang Emperor's dragon case. He would also be furious because of this, and liquidate the new and old accounts that he has been working hard for this period of time. But if you send troops to destroy it, it is already the third day of July, that historical event is likely to break out in the near future, and the East China Sea is too far away from the rumors, if that event broke out during your military use, then you should flee from the Qingxu battlefield His wishful dreams are about to come to nothing!
After reading the Donghai Express, Wei Zheng, who had already resigned from Yuan Baozang, also knew the seriousness of the situation, and hurriedly said to Chen Yingliang: "Deputy Chen, we must not sit idly by this time, our main force has not been there for half a year. The East China Sea has been mopped up by bandits, there must be bandits everywhere, thieves everywhere, it is easy for Yan Xuanzheng to develop and grow, if we don't get rid of this hidden danger as soon as possible, once Yan Xuanzheng becomes big in the East China Sea, the consequences will be unimaginable!"
"That's right, we can't stand still." Yuan Tiangang also agreed to send troops immediately, and reminded: "Deputy envoy, since Lu Mingyue was defeated, our main force has basically not moved much. Several letters have expressed dissatisfaction, and if you don’t send troops this time, you will have no way to explain to Ambassador Zhang and the court.”
Of course, Chen Yingliang understood what Yuan Tiangang and Wei Zheng reminded him, but after hesitating for a long time, Chen Yingliang still said with a sad face: "Of course what you said is right, but there is a reason, I still don't want to send troops."
"What's the reason?" Yuan Tiangang and Wei Zheng asked in surprise.
Chen Yingliang was in a state of distress, so he could only keep silent. He also fucked Yan Xuanzheng's 18th generation ancestors in his heart, scolded Yan Xuanzheng for nothing, and picked the time when he absolutely could not send troops to make trouble.
It has been a while since I followed Chen Yingliang, and this is the first time Wei Zheng and Yuan Tiangang have seen Chen Yingliang in such distress, they couldn't help being very puzzled, and then Yuan Tiangang asked directly: "Deputy envoy, what have you been doing during this time?" What's the matter? Why do you have to stay still and save your troops? There are no enemies around us worthy of our attack?"
"Yes." Wei Zheng also said doubtfully: "Last month, Yang Wang and Yang Tongshou asked you to send troops to Liang County to help him wipe out the increasingly rampant Wagang bandits. You also found various excuses to refuse, and you would rather offend your Yang. Uncle also refuses to send troops, what is the reason for this?"
"Wagang thief?" Chen Yingliang's heart moved, and he suddenly thought of a sufficient excuse, and hurriedly said: "The matter has come to this point, and I will not hide it from you. I have been standing still and preparing for battle all this time, because of this group of Wagangs. Thieves. Because I found that this group of Wagang thieves has gradually become popular, their strength is getting stronger and stronger, their fighting is becoming more and more cunning, and they have a clear purpose and behavior style. They would rather go hungry than loot the village. It’s just that the robbery of the Tongji Canal won the support of the people in Liangjun, Dongjun and Xingyang, if this banditry is not wiped out as soon as possible, it will cause great harm!”
"Yes, this group of thieves should not be underestimated. In order to buy people's hearts, they can do nothing against Liqiu in Dongjun Township. This is a role that cannot be underestimated." Wei Zheng nodded, and then asked doubtfully: "Then last month, Yang Tongshou I asked you for help, why didn't you agree?"
"It's not because of Ambassador Zhang!" Chen Yingliang always has a lot of reason when he talks nonsense. Lei Ze's suppression of bandits is only two hundred miles away from Wagangzhai, the old nest of Wagang bandits. If I send troops to conquer Wagang bandits, it will be like the last battle in Teng County. The ambassador picked it?"
After all, Chen Yingliang said mysteriously: "It's nothing to share the military exploits with Ambassador Zhang, but the Wagang bandits have been harming Tongjiqu for more than four years, and all the gold, silver, treasures and rare treasures they have snatched are hidden in the cellar. In Wagang Village, the old nest, if we let Ambassador Zhang break Wagang Village first, wouldn't our soldiers have to work hard for nothing?"
Wei Zheng and Yuan Tiangang came to their senses together, yelling at Chen Yingliang in his heart that he would rather die than suffer and take advantage of everything, Yuan Tiangang hurriedly said: "So that's what the deputy envoy planned, that's okay, we will send troops to the East China Sea first, and wait until Yan Xuanzheng is defeated After the rebellion, it will not be too late to come back and attack the Wagang thieves."
"No way." Chen Yingliang frowned again, and continued to babble: "Yang Tongshou of Liang County is my uncle, and my uncle Li Guogong is a life-and-death friend, and he has always loved me very much. I couldn't agree last time." , but if I don’t send troops to help him as soon as possible, I won’t be able to explain to him and Uncle Pei. So I have already made up my mind, and I will send troops to Wagang Village in a few days to wipe out these bandits.”
"Then what about Yan Xuanzheng?" Yuan Tiangang said with a wry smile, "If you let him take the opportunity to sit in the university, how will you explain to the court and Ambassador Zhang?"
"Yes, what about Yan Xuanzheng?"
Chen Yingliang pulled his hair up rarely, and racked his brains to think hard. Fortunately, at the critical moment, Chen Yingliang's triangular eyes suddenly stopped on the map of the East China Sea on the wall, and suddenly saw Jiangdu County, which is only across the Huai River from the East China Sea. Having made up his mind, he blurted out overjoyedly: "There is a solution! Ask Wang Shichong for help, and ask him to send troops to the East China Sea to help me wipe out the Yan Xuanzheng rebels!"
"Wang Shichong?!" Yuan Tiangang and Wei Zheng screamed together, and then Wei Zheng also blurted out: "Deputy envoy, are you crazy or stupid? Last time we made Wang Shichong so miserable and offended him so hard, how could he Help us again?"
"There is a way! There must be a way!" Chen Yingliang waved his hand, and said through gritted teeth: "No matter what way I think of, I will ask him, Wang Shichong, to send troops to help me destroy Yan Xuanzheng, even if I want him to propose a marriage, begging him to marry his daughter to me as a concubine , to be his junior, and I also ask him to help me with this! Let me free up my hands and concentrate on killing Zhai Rang, the Wagang rebellion!"
Yuan Tiangang and Wei Zheng were dumbfounded again, and then Wei Zheng stretched out his hand to touch Chen Yingliang's forehead, and said carefully: "Deputy envoy, you don't have a high fever and talk nonsense, do you? Or you don't know yet? Wang Shichong's daughter doesn't know and Who messed around, and even got pregnant before getting married, you go to ask his daughter for marriage, do you want to be treated as a laughing stock by the Sui court?"
"Wang Shichong's daughter is pregnant? Is it true?" Chen Yingliang jumped up in shock.
"It's absolutely true!" Wei Zheng nodded, and said in a deep voice: "Xie Weiping, the palace supervisor of Yongcheng, told the humble official himself. Although Wang Shichong has been trying his best to conceal this scandal, the fire cannot be contained in the paper. This matter is still in private. The rumor spread in the Jiangdu officialdom, because Wang Shichong was also an envoy of the Jiangdu palace supervisor, and had many official correspondence with Xie Gongjian, so Xie Gongjian learned about this from the officials of the Jiangdu palace, and quietly told us as a joke."
Yuan Tiangang also nodded to admit that there was such a thing, and Chen Yingliang was also dumbfounded. After a long time, Chen Yingliang finally came to his senses, and after a little calculation, he said solemnly: "It doesn't matter, for the imperial court's plan to suppress the rebellion, for the sake of To wipe out Zhai Rang and this Wagang rebellion, and to reward our soldiers for their merits, I am willing to be the laughing stock of this!"
"Deputy envoy, are you joking?" Wei Zheng and Yuan Tiangang were dumbfounded together.
"Of course I'm not joking." Chen Yingliang gritted his teeth and said, "For the sake of Tai Sui, I can even give up my life, let alone this mere reputation?!"
Wei Zheng and Yuan Tiangang continued to be dumbfounded, looking at Chen Yingliang in a daze, saying that they never thought that Chen Yingliang would be so great, and would volunteer to be a successor in order to ask Wang Shichong to send troops? !
As if feeling the surprise and confusion of the accomplices and lackeys, Chen Yingliang sighed again, and said in a gentle tone: "Besides, Miss Xueji conceived before marriage, even though she has half of the blood of the barbarians, in this respect for etiquette and morality, the middle On the earth, it must be shameless and suffering, how can I bear to let a little girl like her suffer such pain?"
After finishing speaking, Chen Yingliang sighed again, looked up to the sky and said: "Forget it! The Buddhists say: saving a life is better than building a seven-level pagoda! A little ridicule myself can free her from the lonely fate of being helpless, It's worth it."
After a long time, seeing that Chen Yingliang's expression was serious and definitely not like joking, Wei Zheng bowed solemnly to Chen Yingliang, cupped his hands and said in a loud voice: "Vice envoy, I'm following the right person! Going to Jiangdu to ask for marriage and help for you, even if you kowtow and break your head, the lowly position also requires Wang Shichong to send troops!"
"Let me go!" Yuan Tiangang's voice was choked with sobs, and he said: "The deputy envoy is able to make such a sacrifice for the great cause of suppressing the rebellion, and the humble official is also willing to go to Jiangdu to meet Wang Shichong. No matter what, I will ask him to send troops to suppress Yan Xuanzheng. Thieves, let us free up our hands to suppress Pingwagang thieves!"
As he said that, Yuan Tiangang really shed sincere tears, but Chen Yingliang sighed again, and said: "Forget it, you all don't go, let Qian Xiangmin go, this kind of pleading guilty, let him go It's better to be beaten for me, I feel better in my heart - I really can't bear to ask you to suffer for me."
"Apologize? What do you mean?" Yuan Tiangang and Wei Zheng were dumbfounded again.
"Wang Shichong's daughter, Wang Xueji, is the child in my womb." Chen Yingliang was a little embarrassed, and blushed to tell the truth, "It's mine, it's my child."
The choking of Yuan Tiangang and Wei Zheng stopped abruptly together, and then they both had the urge to smash the bridge of Chen Yingliang's nose with a punch, and they couldn't bear it anymore and shouted in unison: "Then you fucking said it earlier! Why are you talking about being so great?!"