When Guo Shao's troops were halfway through their journey, they heard that the baggage train of Zhao Chao's troops, dozens of miles behind them, was suddenly attacked by white-armored soldiers. Zhao Chao was furious and sent troops to massacre all the farms along the way as a punishment.
The white-armored soldiers had appeared in Shouzhou, and Guo Shao had heard of them. The Southern Tang State had been guarding against attacks from the north along the Huai River for decades: in addition to stationing elite troops, it also reclaimed large tracts of farmland and drove young men to cultivate the land, with the idea of cultivating the land while training soldiers.
Li Jing and his son had a good idea, but it was not very successful in implementation, and the garrison troops suffered greatly. After the Zhou army attacked Huainan, the garrison troops of Southern Tang surrendered one after another, lining the streets to welcome them as the guides.
But reality once again gave the Huainan garrison a hard slap in the face. The Zhou army was not a pushover. The soldiers of each unit regarded themselves as conquerors and would kill at will. So the Shouzhou garrison troops revolted one after another. They had no armor, so they used paper stacked together as armor, so they were called white armor soldiers. Some people even had no weapons, so they fought with sharpened bamboo. Rebellions broke out in various places.
After Chai Rong visited Shouzhou, he adopted Li Gu's advice and banned the killing. He also personally went to the mountain where the White Armor Soldiers gathered to persuade them to go back to farm. After Li Gu's governance, the situation gradually calmed down. However, the reputation of the White Armor Soldiers had spread throughout Huainan.
Because the white-armored soldiers had low combat effectiveness, they could only take advantage of empty spaces to play supporting roles, and the Zhou army did not actually take them seriously.
But when Guo Shao heard about Zhao Chao's story, he immediately took it very seriously. Others had never seen it, but he knew what the vast ocean of people's war was. When the time came, there would be hostile civilians all around, and it would be difficult to set up sentries and find roads, and all kinds of military affairs would be difficult to handle. Isn't this just digging your own eyes out
He first sent people to strictly order Zhao Chao not to kill the garrison troops and the people in Huainan, but there was almost no effect; the guy obeyed the order on the surface, but in fact did nothing. The soldiers were attacked and were furious. Zhao Chao did not punish them severely, and there was no need to pay with one's life for killing people, so it was easy to do things without any cost.
At that time, the emperor had already led the inner palace guards, the Control Crane Army and a group of civil and military officials to Shouzhou, focusing on deploying the battle of Haozhou.
Guo Shao thought about it all night. He knew that Zhao Chao had a good relationship with Zhao Kuangyin's father and did not intend to make an enemy, nor did he want to punish him. But if the battle in Haozhou did not go well, the losses would be greater. Guo Shao decided to ride a fast horse to Shouzhou to meet the emperor and report him.
Inside the headquarters in Shouzhou City, Chai Rong was sitting on the high official seat, one hand unconsciously stroking the sparse beard on his chin, as if he was thinking about something.
His face was a little dark from the sun, but it gave the illusion of being pale. Maybe it was because the light dark skin was unhealthy. Most strong men had oily and dark skin after being exposed to the sun, but Chai Rong's skin was only light-colored and had spots. People who didn't know him thought that the emperor drank too much and had sex, so he looked weak and hollowed out. In fact, Chai Rong drank moderately, never got drunk, and didn't like women.
He was thinking about Gao Huaide.
Gao Huaide was the commander of the right wing of the Iron Cavalry Army. He had been in the army for eleven years, and had served the Zhou Dynasty since the time of Emperor Taizu Guo Wei. He was also in the army during the crucial battle of Gaoping last year. But he remained in the same position and did not get promoted.
After arriving in Huainan, his achievements were not enough for promotion, but Chai Rong, taking his qualifications into consideration, wanted to promote him again based on his military achievements in the Battle of Gaoping and his achievements in Huainan, and let him gain the status of a senior military general.
Because the expedition to Huainan had been going smoothly in all aspects for several months, Chai Rong had promoted many people, such as Zhang Yongde as the Chief Inspector of the Palace, Zhao Kuangyin as the Chief Commander of the Palace, Guo Shaojianjie and many others.
Unexpectedly, when Chai Rong mentioned Gao Huaide's founding of the army, Zhao Kuangyin's words just fell: Gao Huaide led the right wing of the Iron Cavalry Army, and pursued the defeated enemy, but did not follow strict military discipline in combat and was negligent in defense during the march, and only escaped defeat by luck.
Is Gao Huaide really incompetent? Leading elite troops will cause trouble. Chai Rong is not a person who believes everything others say. He took some personal factors into consideration: It is said that Gao Huaide and Zhao Kuangyin are not on good terms.
The grudge between Zhao and Gao may have been planted when they were both military commanders of the East and West Divisions of the Palace Front Department, and then intensified. Gao Huaide had more seniority than Zhao Kuangyin and was Zhao Kuangyin's superior before; but last year and this year, Zhao Kuangyin was promoted very quickly and was already the second-in-command of the two elite forces of the Palace Front Department, while Gao Huaide was still a captain of the wing. It would be a bit embarrassing for Gao Huaide, a senior military commander, to be humble to his former subordinates who he had a grudge against.
Of course, Chai Rong had more and deeper thoughts. Everyone knew what he was thinking, but no one knew what the emperor was thinking.
At this time, it was reported that the vanguard commander Guo Shao wanted to see him. Chai Rong immediately ordered him to come in.
After Guo Shao paid his respects, he told him about the white-armored soldiers and Zhao Chao.
After hearing this, Chai Rong said directly: If Zhao Chao does not suit your taste, I will replace him.
Guo Shao did not expect the emperor to be so happy, and was a little flattered. Seeing this, Chai Rong said: I have heard that the general guarding Haozhou is Chai Kehong, who has recently gained a great reputation in the Southern Tang Kingdom. As long as you and Han Tong win in Haozhou, and win cleanly, it will disappoint Li Jing and the Huainan Tang army. The effect of this battle is not insignificant. You just need to use your strength and don't have to follow the rules.
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace," Guo Shao said hurriedly.
Chai Rong asked again: Last time you submitted a report to the Privy Council to ask for the merit of Wei Renpu on behalf of your generals, is this true
Wei Renpu bowed and said: Your Majesty, there is such a thing.
Chai Rong said bluntly: If everything is approved, the meritorious soldiers can be granted military positions and rewards.
I obey your order. Wei Renpu said.
Guo Shao was very happy after hearing this, but he also felt more stressed. He thought of Yuan Chonghuan of the Ming Dynasty, who boasted that he would conquer Liao in five years. Emperor Chongzhen met his demands in many ways, but if he failed, he would be executed by slow slicing. The higher the emperor's expectations, the angrier he would be when he was disappointed.
However, pressure cannot make a young person back down. Everyone subconsciously wants to realize their own value and prove themselves in important links. The more important the matter, the more exciting it is; the more attention and opportunities to perform. Guo Shao is no exception. He is more excited than under pressure.
Chai Rong pondered for a moment and said: Let Gao Huaide be transferred to the post of commander of the right wing of the Hujie Army, and Zhao Chao to the Iron Cavalry Army.
Gao Huaide, Guo Shaojing was very familiar with this person, and he knew him in modern society. He didn't know much about the Later Zhou Dynasty, and he was not familiar with many important figures of this era, but he had heard of Gao Huaide, who was not so important.
He had heard about Gao Huaide from opera stories: one was called The Three Beatings on Tao Sanchun, and the other was called Gao Huaide Farewell to His Daughter.
However, Guo Shao is very skeptical about the story in the opera, especially the parting of Gao Huaide's daughter, which says that Gao Huaide was very poor when he was young, and had to sell his daughter to be a maid to pay off his debts, and then went to the capital to seek refuge with a big shot.
If Guo Shao understood correctly, Gao Huaide came from a family of military generals, and his father Gao Xingzhou had been crowned king in both the Han and Zhou dynasties. With such a family background and a father who was a king, it was too ridiculous that the son could be so poor that he had to sell his daughter. Could it be that later generations made up stories to discredit him? It is very likely. I heard that he had a bad relationship with Zhao Kuangyin.
Guo Shao was very pleased with the emperor's appointment, and now he subconsciously regarded Zhao Kuangyin as his opponent. Guo Shao was most willing to win over those who had a bad relationship with Zhao Kuangyin.
We must not allow such a powerful family as the Gao family to fall over to Zhao Kuangyin. Gao Huaide seemed to be called a general of the Northern Song Dynasty in later generations. I'm afraid he also threw himself into the arms of Zhao Kuangyin later. We must not allow this to happen again.
Because the army was still setting up camp halfway, Guo Shao rode a fast horse back to the vanguard camp that day.
Guo Shao summoned generals above the rank of deputy general to discuss matters in the central army, specifically regarding the white-armored soldiers.
The government has already transferred Gao Huaide to the position of the commander of the Right Wing. The active massacre by our army should be prevented. But I think that the officials of the Southern Tang State are behind this and it is a conspiracy with a purpose. The White Armored Soldiers have been quiet in Shouzhou, why did they suddenly attack the Right Wing again
The generals hadn't thought about these things at all, but after listening to Guo Shao's explanation, they nodded and thought it made sense.
Guo Shao continued: I have thought of two strategies.
First, find some women to make a few tiger flags and send them to various military camps, saying that they were sent spontaneously by the people of Southern Tang to inspire the heroic soldiers of Zhou army; and inform the entire army that the white-armored soldiers who attacked us were soldiers of Southern Tang in disguise, and say that it was Lu Mengjun who did it, so that the soldiers would not be deceived by Lu Mengjun and used by the treacherous person.
Second, when they captured the white-armored soldiers, they were all treated kindly. They were told that it was Lu Mengjun who massacred the civilians and the garrison troops, intending to frame the Zhou army; they were asked to take the prisoners back to persuade the civilians not to be fooled. This was done every time, and the rumor spread.
At this time, Zuo You said: I have written a doggerel poem that can be sung according to my lord's wishes. What do you think about it
Guo Shao took it and read it, saying: Despicable Lu Mengjun, sneaking into the Zhou army and blaming the white-armored soldiers. He also killed the Huainan people behind the scenes and turned himself into a Zhou soldier. He must be punished for his many evil deeds. Everyone knows what a villain does. Lu Mengjun, Lu Mengjun
Hahahaha! All the generals burst into laughter when they heard this.
Guo Shaodao: Very good, very good. The soldiers and the common people do not understand elegant poetry, doggerel is the best, sing it when you have nothing to do. Post it everywhere and read it to everyone.
Guo Shaoxing got excited and said: We can also rehearse a few plays and perform them in the army when the army is stationed here to let Lu Mengjun become famous.
Zuo You said again: There is a story that Zhou Duan and Lu Mengjun's former staff told about the people of Southern Tang hiding our scouts.
Guo Shao also heard about this and hurriedly said: "The content needs to be changed. We need to emphasize the close relationship between the people of Huainan and the soldiers of the Great Zhou Army, and the fact that our army has done no harm and is well-received by the people of Huainan. Also, the lyrics should not be too difficult to understand. Just speak like we do, so that the soldiers can understand."
Zuo You nodded and said: My lord, you are absolutely right. I will write the script.