Chapter 165 Orange: The Unyielding Master of the Queyue Formation
In the next few days, Su Ze was making arrangements for taking office in Hezhou.
The post of Gaoping County Magistrate that Yu Jin was appointed to was not far from Hezhou, so Su Ze also arranged for him to take office together with him, and took him to Tunqiying to select a few capable subordinates to take office together.
This time, the imperial guards who followed Li Chong basically returned empty-handed and only received Buddhist money as a reward from the court.
However, Su Ze's cavalry camp and the imperial guards who followed Su Ze in the expedition all obtained rich spoils of war, and after returning to Luoyang, many of them were promoted because of their military achievements.
Therefore, when Su Ze proposed to bring a group of people to Hezhou, many imperial guards were tempted.
In the past, these soldiers would definitely be unwilling to leave Luoyang.
Luoyang is the capital. Although life in Luoyang is not easy, the imperial guards have lived in Luoyang for a generation. In the past, every time the imperial guards went out of the garrison, trouble would occur.
However, this Buddhist money incident completely dispelled the fantasies of many people.
Prices in Luoyang are skyrocketing. This time, I have managed to get through it by relying on my family savings and rewards from the expedition. But what about next time?
Su Ze also publicized the prosperity of Hezhou and promised that after arriving in Hezhou, land would be allocated according to the number of people in the family. Would they still starve to death if they had their own land?
Moreover, many imperial guards had moved to Luoyang twenty years ago, so it was not really a matter of them being reluctant to leave their hometown.
Su Ze recruited a hundred people from the Yulin Army and followed him to Hezhou.
Among them were Wang Hui, Yang Zongjia and other loyal followers of his in the early days, as well as Yang Chounu and other captains promoted by Su Ze himself.
Gaoping, where Yu Jin took office, was not a peaceful place. Gaoping was originally a military town like the Six Garrisons. Like Hezhou, it was changed into a prefecture during the reign of Emperor Xiaowen.
There were a large number of surrendered Xiongnu and Chile people in Gaoping County, and unrest broke out there ten years ago.
Therefore, Yu Jin also selected twenty people from the imperial guards as his own core officers to accompany him to Gaoping.
According to the history that Su Ze knew, after the Rebellion of the Six Garrisons, the Guanlong area was also affected by the Rebellion of the Six Garrisons. Han Baling, the leader of the Six Garrisons, sent envoys to Gaoping to incite Gaoping to rebel against the court.
Hu Chen, a Chi-Le leader from Gaoping, killed the garrison commander of Gaoping and raised an army, which once swept across the northern part of Guanlong.
Wanqi Chounu and Sule Mingda under Hu Chen were also brave and skilled generals. They defeated the army sent by the imperial court to Guanzhong to quell the rebellion.
Su Ze was not worried about Yu Jin's ability, but he also asked him:
"Si Jing, when you arrive in Gaoping, you must pay attention to three people, Hu Chen, Wanqi Chounu, and Sule Mingda. If you can recruit them for your own use, that would be the best. If not, kill them as soon as possible."
Yu Jin hurriedly wrote it down. He knew that under the leadership of Erzhu Rong, Su Ze had close contacts with those leading chiefs who came to Luoyang. There were many tribal heroes in Gaoping, so Su Ze was helping him.
"Thank you for your guidance, Captain. I will pay attention to these three people after I take office!"
Su Ze's old subordinates are still used to calling him captain, and Su Ze will not deliberately correct them. This special title itself is a way of expressing closeness, and it is also Yu Jin's respect for his old benefactor.
"I heard that you are going to get engaged to Governor Li's daughter? This is a gift for you."
Yu Jin touched his head. After returning to Luoyang this time, Li Chong would marry his granddaughter, Li Shizhe's daughter, to Yu Jin.
Yu Jin also looked down on his father-in-law Li Shizhe, but Li Chong was his benefactor, and the Li family was indeed more powerful than the Yu family in the court, so Yu Jin had no choice but to agree to this marriage.
It's just that Li Shizhe's legitimate daughter has not yet reached marriage age, and the marriage is still in the engagement stage, so Yu Jin did not publicize it.
Yu Jin opened the box, revealing a paper copy of Sun Bin's Art of War and a set of exquisite gold jewelry.
"Captain, this is too valuable!"
Yu Jin wanted to refuse, but was pushed away by Su Ze.
This copy of "Sun Bin's Art of War" is a collection of the Imperial College. Su Ze has sent his men to the Imperial College to copy a lot of books these days, and the cost is the paper and ink from the paper mill.
The gold jewelry was made by a [skilled jeweler]. Ever since Princess Chenliu saw the jeweler's craftsmanship, she liked him very much. Su Ze presented him to Princess Chenliu's mansion to make jewelry and gold jewelry specifically for Princess Chenliu.
This set of gold jewelry was also made by the jeweler using the "leftover materials" given by Princess Chenliu. Although not much gold was used, it is quite exquisite and the price is not cheap.
The previous relatives and friends had to go through the same process again. The Northern Wei Dynasty had many rules for gift-giving. Gifts had to be given when returning victoriously after meritorious service, and gifts had to be given when leaving Luoyang after a promotion. This time, Su Ze also brought gifts prepared by Princess Chenliu and visited Jiangyang King Yuan Yi, who had recommended him as the General of Protecting the Qiang.
Yuan Yi received Su Ze in the Mingtang, accepted his gift, and encouraged him a few words, all of which showed that Yuan Yi regarded him as a peripheral member of his faction.
After finishing all these things, five days later, Su Ze went to Longhua Temple again. He was about to leave Luoyang. This was the last time for him to take advantage of Princess Nanyang's luck.
Su Ze still followed Bian Ji's instructions and came to the pagoda in the back temple. He placed incense and offerings on the tablets of his parents. He would set off for Hezhou tomorrow.
Just before the system was about to refresh, Su Ze indeed saw a figure in white palace dress in the back temple.
Su Ze didn't know what method Bian Ji used to make Princess Nanyang appear in the back temple on time, but as long as he could absorb some good luck, it would be enough.
Princess Nanyang was also a little nervous. The maid had found out Su Ze's identity last time, and she also learned about Su Ze's military achievements in the north. It had been a long time since the Wei Dynasty had produced such a powerful general. If he had not come from a humble family, he would have risen to the top.
So Su Ze is really the reincarnation of the Dharma Protector Mingwang?
Princess Nanyang was even more confused, and what made her heart beat faster was that Su Ze walked towards her after paying homage to his parents.
Su Ze was also wondering what kind of "magic" Bian Ji used. It was obvious that Princess Nanyang was extremely embarrassed, but she did not run away. Instead, she stood there with her eyes closed, as if she had accepted her fate.
Forget it, I’m about to leave Luoyang anyway, so I might as well smoke it one last time.
"Female Bodhisattva?"
Princess Nanyang thought of the marriage that Bianji had mentioned, and she didn't know why, but she said her maiden name: "My dear, please call me Ciyou."
It turned out that her name was Yuan Ciyou. Su Ze said, "Madam Ciyou, I will leave Luoyang tomorrow. Today I am here to pay respect to my parents."
When Princess Nanyang saw the altar, she also found out that Su Ze's parents had both passed away and that he had relied on his own efforts to get to where he is today. She didn't know why she felt a trace of sympathy and admiration for him.
Moreover, Princess Nanyang couldn't help but compare Su Ze with her husband Xiao Baoyin.
Xiao Baoyin was a member of the royal family of Southern Qi. After fleeing to Northern Wei, he was treated with courtesy by his brothers and was always a high-ranking official.
But Su Ze came from a humble background, and all his military achievements were earned by fighting on the battlefield. He had more masculinity than his frail husband.
Princess Nanyang's heart began to beat rapidly again.
And when Princess Nanyang heard that Su Ze was leaving Luoyang, she felt relieved, but also a little lost.
Su Ze was stationed in Hezhou, and it was unlikely that she would be able to return to Luoyang in the next few years. How could she repay her marriage debt and repair her relationship with her husband?
Princess Nanyang asked, "Are you leaving Luoyang?"
Su Ze looked at the mature and beautiful woman in front of him with some confusion. Why did her tone sound like that of a resentful woman in the boudoir who regretted having asked her husband to seek a title?
I've only met her twice in total, so we don't have such a close relationship, right?
Su Ze was also a little embarrassed. He thought of a clichéd line from a costume drama and said, "If we are destined to meet in the future, we will naturally meet again." When Princess Nanyang heard this, she believed Bian Ji's words a little more. If it was not a bad fate in the previous life, how could he say such a thing!
Thinking of this, Princess Nanyang took off a sachet, handed it to Su Ze and said, "I hope your journey will be smooth. This sachet will protect your safety."
After saying this, Princess Nanyang immediately turned around and fled.
Su Ze looked at the refreshed store, his mind still full of doubts.
I don't have such a close relationship with Princess Nanyang, do I? Why did she give me a sachet after meeting me twice?
Is she going to cheat on me?
Isn’t it said that Duke Danyang and Princess Nanyang are very loving?
Do all of you Yuan clan girls have any serious illness?
But when Su Ze opened the store and saw the refreshed merchandise column, he immediately changed his tone and said, "The princess is truly a female bodhisattva!"
Orange!
One orange, one purple, two blues and two greens!
Big bang!
And when Su Ze saw this orange follower, he was even more surprised.
[The Unyielding Master of the Moon Formation]
Grade: Orange;
Effect 1: Unyielding, will not surrender until the team is reduced to 20%, and will fight to the death! (Full team people)
Effect 2: Form a Queyue formation. You can command a full team of people to form a Queyue formation. The weapons, equipment, vehicles and ships required to form the formation must be met.
Comment: "Use infantry to defeat cavalry!"
Price: 800 wen tai and 100 baht coins, and a maintenance fee of wen tai and baht coins is required every month.
What a surprise!
Su Ze wanted to take Princess Nanyang directly to Hezhou to see what good things she could help him get.
When Su Ze arrived in Hezhou to take office, his biggest headache was the Qiang cavalry that were wreaking havoc in the northwest.
Since the late Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period, the Liangzhou Iron Cavalry has been a world-famous elite force.
In later generations, the most elite Black Armored Cavalry around Li Shimin of the Tang Dynasty was also formed by recruiting good families from the Longshang and Heliang areas.
The Northwest region is vast and sparsely populated, unlike the Central Plains which have many cities. For example, the huge Hezhou has only three cities. This is also the reason why most dynasties were powerless when it came to controlling border areas.
However, the Queyue Formation is an effective formation that combines infantry, chariots and warships and can defeat cavalry with infantry!
When Liu Yu was on the northern expedition, he used the Queyue Formation to defeat the elite cavalry of the Northern Wei Dynasty, thus thwarting the Northern Wei Dynasty's attempt to interfere with the Liu Song Dynasty's northern expeditionary army's advance into Chang'an.
The waters of Hezhou are crisscrossed, which is just the right condition for using the Queyue Formation!
It’s just that this [Queyue Formation Master] can only command a small formation of twenty people, while Liu Yu’s Queyue Formation back then was a large formation of eight thousand people.
That’s enough. Su Ze can also let the [Queyue Formation Master] train the soldiers to form a formation, and he can also command the formation and fight himself in the future.
Su Ze suppressed his excitement and looked at the purple follower again.
[Ordinary female messenger]
Grade: Purple;
Effect: Hearing the news, good at analyzing intelligence from case documents.
Comment: "The Wenbao Division was an intelligence agency that Liu Yu left in Chang'an after the Northern Expedition, specializing in collecting intelligence from the northern countries."
Selling price: 500 wen tai and 200 baht coins, and a monthly maintenance fee of wen tai and baht coins is required, and office expenses such as paper or bamboo slips need to be paid.
This one is good, and looks like a civilian spy. The situation in Luoyang is not tense yet. Su Ze plans to take the orange egret Cao envoy Su Bai to Hezhou, and Zhenghong will keep this purple female attendant by Princess Chenliu's side to analyze and collect intelligence from the court.
These two blue followers are also quite distinctive.
[Brutal eunuch sumo wrestler] *2
Grade: blue;
Effect: Reckless.
Comment: "The eunuch sumo wrestlers kept by Liu Ziye in the palace of Liu Song Dynasty were infected with Liu Ziye's violent temper."
Price: 200 Wen Tai and Wu Zhu coins, and you need to eat enough every month.
These two are good and can stay with Princess Chenliu for self-protection.
Green are just two ordinary objects. Su Ze walked out of Longhua Temple with excitement. At this moment, suddenly a group of scholars in white rushed into the square in front of Longhua Temple.
Although it was almost curfew, a large number of people poured into the square in front of Longhua Temple.
What's going on here?
Su Ze stopped a citizen who was looking around, stuffed a few coins into his pocket and asked, "What happened?"
"The envoy of King Qinghe has returned to Luoyang! The Jinyang city gate really caught fire! And then it was put out by a wave of wine. Master Bianji really knows the secret method of Fotucheng!"
Su Ze said in surprise: "No matter how fast the Qinghe King's men rode, it would take them 20 days to go back and forth to Jinyang. How come they came back so soon?"
The onlooker was quite gossipy and he immediately said:
"Oh! The Jinyang city gate caught fire, and such a miraculous thing happened. Naturally, someone was sent to Luoyang to report the news. It happened that the messenger sent by the King of Qinghe to Jinyang ran into him. The messenger immediately rode back to Luoyang to report the news!"
That's it!
"His Royal Highness Prince Qinghe has come to Longhua Temple in person to invite Master Bianji to discuss Buddhism at his residence!"
A gorgeous carriage stopped, and Su Ze saw Prince Qinghe entering Longhua Temple surrounded by scholars in white. A smile appeared on Su Ze's lips, and his final layout was completed.
At the same time, the carriage returning to Danyang Mansion encountered a crowded crowd when it was about to enter the inner quarters.
Princess Nanyang was about to ask the maid when her personal maid climbed onto the carriage and said, "Your Highness! The envoy sent by Prince Qinghe to Jinyang ran into the messenger sent by Jinyang. The fire at the Jinyang city gate was suddenly put out by wine and water. The gate of the town was blocked by the carriages leaving the town. They all wanted to go to Longhua Temple to see Master Bianji."
"what!"
After verifying that Bian Ji really had "supernatural powers", Princess Nanyang became even more confused.
Do I really have to repay my marriage with Su Ze in this life before I can get back with my husband?
All kinds of thoughts swirled in her mind.
After a while, the maid returned to the carriage and said, "Everyone has gone back. Master Bianji has been invited to the palace by King Qinghe!"
"Your Highness, shall we go back?"
"Go back home."
-
The next day, on the Changfen Bridge west of Luoyang, armored soldiers surrounded Li Shizhe, Su Ze and Yu Jin who were about to take office. The three's carriages were lined up in a long dragon, but half of them belonged to Li Shizhe, the governor of Hezhou.
On the other side of the road, there was another long line of carriages, which was longer than the three-person caravan combined.
(End of this chapter)