Chapter 174 Su Chao's Plan (5k)
Armored cavalry!
Liang Zhao and other Qiang generals naturally knew the armored cavalry squad that followed Su Ze closely.
They are Su Ze's lifeblood, and one of the reasons why Liang Zhao is so cautious. Being able to bring out such elite people, if he is allowed to continue training the troops, Su Ze can really control Baohan and even the entire Hezhou.
This is also what Qiang heroes like Liang Zhao cannot tolerate.
When this group of iron lumps moved towards Baohan City, the Qiang generals surrounding the city gate also felt tremendous pressure.
If these cavalrymen rushed towards his own troops, would he be able to stop them?
If these cavalrymen are here to hunt me down, can I still escape?
When these questions popped up in their minds, it meant that these Qiang heroes had become cowardly.
They all made way to the city gate, and the entire area outside Baohan City was once again filled with people lining up to welcome Su Ze.
Liang Zhao felt humiliated. Su Ze was not dead, so what had he been doing during this time?
Just when Liang Zhao was puzzled, the leading armored cavalryman slowed down his horse. There was a human head stuck on the long spear in his hand, and the dried blood on the ghost mask and silver armor made him look more like a demon crawling out of a sea of blood.
The cavalrymen began to control their horses to switch from running to walking, but the formation of the entire team remained intact.
Su Ze rode on Benxiao, and behind him, [Daxia Dragon Bird Guard] followed closely with a gorgeous broadsword. When the team arrived at the gate of Baohan City, Su Ze said to Gao Hui behind the crowd:
"Gao Pingxi, Su has conquered Xiping. This is the head of He Luo, the commander of Xiping. I have avenged you for the pursuit."
what!
Conquer Xiping City?
Liang Zhao’s first instinctive reaction was disbelief!
Su Ze led only two hundred cavalrymen out of the city. Could such a small number of people capture Xiping City?
But when he saw the head on the long spear of the leading armored cavalryman, Liang Zhao wavered again.
As the leader of the local warlords in Hezhou, he had naturally met He Luo, the Tuyuhun general in Xiping. He recognized that this was He Luo's head!
Gao Hui's eyes lit up. He knew Su Ze was a good fighter, but he didn't expect him to be so good!
In fact, Gao Hui had already seen through Su Chao's intention, but he had remained silent.
The Gao family was also a prominent Han family in Hezhou, and naturally they did not get along with Qiang leaders like Liang Zhao.
Gao Hui's nephew Gao Ren served as the Beijia of Hezhou. The Han people he represented also had many conflicts with the Qiang people.
But before Su Ze appeared, Gao Hui remained silent, and even deliberately stayed in the Ganliang West Army camp to downplay his presence.
Now that Su Ze has returned and reported the record of conquering Xiping, everyone has realized that there is such a fake General Pingxi outside the city, who is the envoy with the imperial seal and the imperial attendant Gao Hui in Baohan.
In terms of position, Gao Hui was also the highest-ranking official in the entire Baohan.
Li Cunzhen, who was behind Su Ze, also rode out on horseback and said to Gao Hui, "Envoy Gao, we really broke through Xiping City!"
Gao Hui smiled now, holding a banner in his hand, stepped forward, and personally helped Su Ze off his horse, saying, "General Su, great achievement! I will report the victory to the court immediately!"
With Gao Hui's endorsement, the generals who had connections with the Gao family shouted: "May the general win!"
Liang Zhao's face turned pale. Su Ze had made such a great contribution, so his prestige naturally surpassed his own. He had the troops and the power, and he was afraid that he would no longer be able to make decisions in Baohan City in the future.
The gate of Baohan City slowly opened. Su Chao led the soldiers to stand at the gate to welcome Su Ze. Su Ze walked up to Su Chao and grabbed his hand, then said to Liang Zhao and others:
"Ling Chuo asked you to camp outside the city for the safety of Baohan City. Please don't be angry."
Su Ze almost said openly that he did not trust these Qiang leaders, but Liang Zhao still suppressed his anger. Now Su Ze had made a great contribution, and the morale of the new army in the city was high. He was not their match yet, so he could only endure it for now.
Liang Zhao suppressed his anger and said, "Su Changshi is also doing this for the general's cause. I just want the general to give orders directly next time. We are all serving the court, why do we have to use these evil tricks?"
Su Ze laughed and said, "I will naturally punish Ling Chuo for this matter, but this general does have a military order."
"Lingchuo."
Su Chuo came forward, holding a bamboo slip in his hand and said:
"When I was sorting through the bamboo slips, I found that the General's Office of the Protector of the Qiang had issued a military order that, except for the regular soldiers of the imperial court, no troops were allowed to be stationed in the city."
Liang Zhao's face changed. When the General's Office of Protector of the Qiang was established, there was indeed such a military order.
Because when Baohan was still a military town, the Northern Wei was strong on the border and Tuyuhun did not dare to invade. The main task of the General's Office of Protecting the Qiang was actually to guard against the Qiang people in the Hehuang area and prevent them from rebelling.
However, as the border situation of the Northern Wei Dynasty changed, Tuyuhun began to switch from defense to offense. The subsequent generals who protected the Qiang had to rely on local Qiang leaders to resist the Tuyuhun people, so this military order was gradually forgotten.
Now that Su Cho brought up this military order again, these Qiang leaders didn't know how to refute it.
Su Ze said at this time: "Ling Chuo, the military commanders are all regular military officers of the court. They can always enter the city. You blocked them outside the city, and they still suspect you of having some intentions. You must make things clear next time."
Su Chao and Su Ze echoed each other and immediately said apologetically: "It is our fault that we failed to communicate well with the military leaders."
Su Ze added: "Then the families of the soldiers from each tribe can always live in the city, right?"
Su Chao immediately said, "Of course, the military order does not forbid the soldiers' families from settling in the city."
Su Ze stepped forward and held Liang Zhao, saying, "General Liang, I am hosting a banquet at the General's Mansion today. One is to celebrate the return of Gaopingxi to the Central Plains, and the other is to celebrate the recovery of Xiping. If you don't have any garrison duties, you must show up and attend!"
Liang Zhao was about to curse in his heart. He left all his tribal soldiers outside the city and went into the city to attend the banquet himself. What if this banquet was the Hongmen Banquet?
Liang Zhao looked at Su Chao, who was standing behind Su Ze in a humble manner, and he wanted to eat him alive! He should have immediately mobilized the inner support in the city to control Baohan City, and he would not have fallen into such a passive situation now.
These Baohan military leaders also began to waver. The Gao family was also a prominent family in Hezhou. They had already stood behind Su Ze. Relying on the prestige of regaining Xiping City, Su Ze could already gain a foothold in Hezhou.
When Su Ze returned, the 1,600 new troops in the city had already taken control of Baohan City. The wives, children and families of these military leaders and generals were also in the city, so they were even less willing to contradict Su Ze.
Liang Zhao was so angry! Su Ze had only been in Baohan City for a few days when he drove him out of the city, but he was right every step of the way, and he didn't even have a reason to turn against him!
However, Liang Zhao was able to take root in Hezhou for three generations and get along well with both the Northern Wei and Tuyuhun. He was not a young man without cunning. He also changed his face and said:
"General, of course I have to attend this banquet for my country and my family!"
Liang Zhao also believed that Su Ze would not kill him since he was not yet firmly established. The worst that could happen was that he would endure for a while and wait and see the situation in Hezhou.
Liang Zhao surrendered, and the remaining military leaders and generals had no reason to resist. They all followed Su Ze and praised his military achievements.
Next, Su Ze held a banquet at the General Protector of the Qiang's residence, took out the wine he brought from Luoyang, invited Gao Hui to sit on the main seat, and led the generals and soldiers to drink together.
Su Ze did not forget the soldiers inside and outside the city. He ordered wine and meat to be sent into the camp. Even the Ganliang West Army was sent food and wine. That night, the entire Baohan City was filled with the melodies of northwestern folk songs.
-
"What! Xiping is liberated! General Su asked me to send troops to support Xiping!?"
Li Shizhe received the news from Murong Shaozong and looked at him in disbelief.
If Murong Shaozong had not followed Su Ze all the way, Li Shizhe would have suspected that he was a Tuyuhun spy and was setting an ambush to lure the Jincheng garrison out of the city.
Recapturing Xiping City was certainly a great military achievement, but Li Shizhe hesitated over whether to send troops.
The reason is very simple. He, Li Shizhe, is the governor of Hezhou, and Xiping is governed by Liangzhou.
The current Governor of Liangzhou, Yuan Yu, is a member of the royal family of Wei and the great-great-grandson of Emperor Taiwu Tuoba Tao.
His original posting to Liangzhou was just a transition in Yuan Yu's political career. However, because the northwest defense line collapsed and Xiping was lost when he was governing Liangzhou, he was never promoted back to Luoyang.
If I send troops to occupy Xiping, would I offend Yuan Yu, the governor of Liangzhou?
When Li Shizhe hesitated, Liu Bozhi beside him immediately said: "Governor, we should send troops to support Xiping immediately. If Xiping is lost again, it will be your fault."
Because there were too few people around him who knew how to govern, Liu Bozhi was taken away from Su Ze by Li Shizhe.
Now Liu Bozhi and Su are considered the most trusted aides to Li Shizhe. It is thanks to these two that he was not deceived by the officials below and was able to barely grasp the situation in Hezhou.
However, Li Shizhe decided to send troops, and then hesitated and said, "But the Hezhou troops are in the hands of Hezhou Beijia Gao Ren. What if he refuses to send troops?"
At this time, Murong Shaozong, who had been silent, said, "Li Taishou, I have the confidence to convince Gao Biejia."
Although he didn't know how Murong Shaozong could persuade Gao Ren, Li Shizhe still sent someone to invite Gao Ren to the Mingtang of the Governor's Mansion for meetings.
After listening to Li Shizhe's explanation, Gao Ren also expressed his concerns about Xiping City belonging to Liangzhou. Murong Shaozong suddenly said: "Gao Beijia, Ling Shu General Pingxi has returned from the Western Regions. Gao Pingxi was once hunted by Xiping Qushu He Luo, but fortunately he was rescued by General Su and has arrived safely in Baohan City."
"what!"
Gao Ren knew that Murong Shaozong would not lie about such an important matter, so he immediately said to Li Shizhe:
"Governor Li, please let me lead the troops to support Xiping!"
-
"Hezhou is settled!"
In the secret room of the general's mansion, Su Ze said to Su Chao.
Su Cho also nodded and said, "Liang Zhao and several of his close Qiang leaders took their families out of Baohan City, but the rest continued to keep their families in the city. This is a failure for the general."
"Ling Chuo, please don't address me by my position in private. Just call me Brother Su or Senior Brother as before."
Su Chao said, "General, you are now in charge of a region, and dignity is the most important thing. Even if you are close to someone, you cannot mess up the hierarchy. Otherwise, the soldiers will think the same way, and how can Hezhou be governed?"
"Isn't there anyone else?"
"That etiquette cannot be abolished!"
"Well, go on."
Su Chao had already prepared a proposal. He said in a serious tone: "Baohan can also follow the strategy of Yuan Huaiyuan in the Six Garrisons and build a military warehouse in Baohan City to control the surrounding Qiang tribes."
Su Ze's eyes lit up. The warehouse system established by Yuan Huai was hollowed out by the military leaders and commanders in the six towns, and became an evil policy that exploited the lower-class people in the six towns.
However, the original intention of this policy was to use the town granaries set up in the city to control the herdsmen around the six towns.
This can also be used for Baohan, who can use this method to control the Qiang tribe that was driven out of the city by Su Ze.
"anything else?"
Su Cho unfolded the map and said, "General, you control Xiping in the north, Baohan in the south, and all the Hehuang Valley. This was the capital for the kingdom of Liang back then."
Su Chao spoke frankly. This was a private occasion, and Su Ze did not hide his ambitions. He just said calmly: "No, Liang Kingdom must have all of Hexi and Hehuang and control the Western Regions before it can have a kingdom."
Among the five Liang regimes, except for the puppet regime of Southern Liang, the remaining four Liangs all controlled the Hexi Corridor and the Hehuang Valley. They were able to survive in the northwest by relying on these two most prosperous agricultural and animal husbandry production areas in the northwest and the trade of the Western Silk Road.
Su Ze was well aware that he was still a long way from becoming a separatist force, and he also faced the threat of Tuyuhun.
Su Cho said: "But the Hehuang area is high in the west and low in the east. Tuyuhun lives in the west and can go south to cause trouble at any time. It is still too much to rely on Baohan and Xiping alone."
Su Ze nodded. He was certainly aware of this. The Hehuang Valley was an open pocket. Xiping and Baohan were the two knots of the pocket. He held the two knots, but he needed an army as the rope to tie up the pocket and ensure the safety of the Hehuang Valley.
When the Tuyuhun people lost Xiping, they also lost the access to the Hehuang Valley. Naturally, they would not give up and would definitely send troops to retake Xiping.
Even if it is temporarily impossible to mobilize a large army, Tuyuhun will send cavalry to harass the Hehuang Valley and affect the spring plowing next year.
Su Ze looked at Su Chuo and said with a smile: "Ling Chuo must have a solution, tell me quickly!"
Su Chao did not keep the secret any longer and asked directly, "General, have you ever heard of Xihai County?"
Su Ze was stunned for a moment. Li Daoyuan explained the geography of the prefectures and counties of the Northern Wei Dynasty very clearly. Both he and Su Cho listened carefully to the lecture. There was no such county as Xihai in the Northern Wei Dynasty.
Su Ze thought of something, and asked, "But was it set up by Wang Mang?"
"Exactly!"
Su Ze thought of the late Western Han Dynasty. In order to usurp the throne, Wang Mang, in addition to creating auspicious signs all over the world, also wanted to achieve the goal of building a Confucian ideal country where all the worlds are united, so he set up Xihai County at the westernmost part of the empire at that time.
Xihai County is close to the sea, but there is no sea in the northwest region. This "sea" is Qinghai Lake.
Xihai County is located on the east bank of Qinghai Lake, in a place called Xiaoyugu and Dayugu.
Su Chao said: "I have already asked the merchants who travel to Tuyuhun. There are still city ruins from the Xinmang period in the Big and Small Yu Valley. There is no need to build a large city. As long as we can station more than a thousand elite soldiers, we can block the pocket of Hehuang."
"The Big and Small Yu Valleys are rich in water and grass, suitable for both grazing and farming. They are also close to the salt pond and have salt profits. A thousand garrisons are enough to be self-sufficient. As long as Tuyuhun attacks Xiping, troops from the West Sea can cut off Tuyuhun's food supply, and Hehuang will be stable."
"Wonderful!"
Su Ze looked at Su Cho's plan and could only say that many of Wang Mang's strategic intentions were correct, but they were implemented too hastily.
The location of Xihai County is quite dangerous!
Su Ze knew very well that the reason why Tuyuhun was difficult to deal with was not because of how strong its fortress was, nor because the Tuyuhun people were difficult to fight, but because of the plateau.
Soldiers on the plateau only need to adapt a little before they can go down to the plateau to fight.
However, if people from the plains go to the plateau, the altitude sickness alone can take away half of their lives.
The Qiang Rebellion in the Eastern Han Dynasty, the Tuyuhun in the early Sui and Tang Dynasties, and the Tubo in the middle Tang Dynasty all occupied the plateau, which was a tricky terrain. Their soldiers could hide on the plateau if they were defeated, but it was difficult for the Central Plains to send troops to fight on the plateau.
Xihai County is on the edge of the plateau. If a city is built here to defend it, the Tuyuhun people’s way down the plateau will be blocked!
Su Cho said: "However, to rebuild Xihai City, we need to recapture Linqiang City. In addition, the general has too few soldiers. It is already very difficult for us to defend Baohan and Xiping. If we build Xihai City, we will inevitably be disturbed by Tuyuhun. We must have 3,000 elite soldiers and 6,000 auxiliary soldiers to control these three cities."
Su Ze said: "I understand this. It is winter now. It is difficult for Tuyuhun to launch a large-scale war before next summer. As long as Xihai City is built before next summer, we can guarantee the harvest next autumn."
The plateau is bitterly cold, and even colder in winter. It is impossible for Tuyuhun to launch a large-scale attack in winter.
When it comes to March and April in spring, it is the time for livestock to give birth, which nomadic people call the lambing season.
The lambing period is just like the autumn harvest period for farming peoples. It is an important period of harvest. If a large number of young animals die, the entire tribe will face food shortages.
Therefore, the only times when nomadic peoples can launch large-scale mobilization are summer and autumn.
Su Ze was also glad that it was already winter when he recaptured Xiping, so he had half a year to prepare.
However, the lack of large-scale attacks did not mean that the Tuyuhun people would not launch small-scale cavalry harassment, and it was even more impossible for them to sit idly by and watch Su Ze build a city on the shores of Qinghai Lake.
Money, food, and soldiers, the struggle for hegemony ultimately comes down to these three things, and Su Ze is lacking all three now.
Su Ze thought of his sworn brother Erzhu Rong. Although Xiurongchuan was not as rich as Hehuang, he had a great start.
He must develop the Hehuang area into an iron plate like Xiurongchuan before the troubled times come. When the troubled times come, Su Ze will have the capital to dominate the world like Erzhu Rong.
Su Ze said with emotion: "Ling Chuo, the time is not right for me!"
Su Chao also didn't understand where Su Ze's sense of urgency came from.
Although he and his brother also judged that the world would be in chaos, Su Liang believed that it would take at least ten to twenty years before the world would enter a completely chaotic era.
Su Ze has achieved one miraculous victory after another, but he still feels it is too slow.
However, it was precisely Su Ze's sense of urgency that constantly urged his men to move forward that enabled him to bring out such an elite force.
After Su Chao bowed and left, Su Ze opened the system, [System Task: Capture Xiping City, Completed, Hehuang Region Prestige +10, Obtained City - Xiping. ]
This system is so shameless that it takes the conquered Xiping as a reward.
But when he saw that the system store had become eleven grids, Su Ze suppressed his curse in his heart.
God of the system, I just hope I can spawn a few more high-quality followers today.
(End of this chapter)