Chapter 230: Golden Sword Scheme
The worst situation happened to the rebels in Yangping Pass. After Su Ze led the Liangzhou army to Wuzhangyuan, they set up a camp not far from Yangping Pass and built a fort and artillery tower, pretending to trap the rebels in Yangping Pass to death.
Seeing this, Hou Gang, Du Can and Lu Bodu felt disappointed.
If Su Zelang led the army to attack Yangping Pass, there might still be a chance.
Now Su Ze is seeking stability, building a stronghold and fighting a tough battle to trap himself, then there is really no other way out.
But cross the Baoxiade Road and head to Guanzhong?
The situation in Guanzhong is unclear. What should we do if we encounter government troops as soon as we leave Baoxiade?
The debate inside Yangping Pass started again, and finally Hou Gang said:
"How about I lead a thousand men out of Baoxiadao to explore the situation in Guanzhong first?"
Du Can and Lu Bodu were both silent.
Du Can was unwilling to let Hou Gang continue to stay in Yangping Pass. He had prestige and ability. If he continued to stay in Yangping Pass, he was afraid that all the troops under his command would be pulled over.
Lu Bodu also did not like Hou Gang, who advocated war, to continue staying in Yangping Pass.
But there is a problem now, and that is food.
Baoxiadao is not a smooth road.
This is a mountain road carved out in the Qinling Mountains, part of which is an aerial plank road.
The Baoxiade Road follows the two river valleys of Xiashui (now Shitouhe) and Baoshui. Although it is the closest road in the Qinling Mountains, it is still very difficult to walk on.
When King Huiwen of Qin attacked Shu, he invaded Hanzhong and Shuzhong from this road.
However, something like a plank road requires a dynasty to spend a lot of effort to maintain.
Falling rocks, mudslides, and mountain torrents in the mountains may destroy the plank road.
In addition, the plank road is made of wood, which is prone to rot and breakage, and it also needs to be replaced and repaired.
However, the last major renovation of the Baoxiade Road was more than 20 years ago during the reign of Emperor Xiaowen, when it was repaired in order to capture Liangzhou.
Over the years, Liangzhou Governor Fu Shuyan has repeatedly submitted petitions to the court, requesting a major overhaul of the Baoxiade Road, but has never received the court's approval.
If Hou Gang wanted to pass through the Baoxiade Road, it would not be enough to have just a thousand soldiers and horses. He also had to have enough marching food and craftsmen.
Du Can thought about it and decided to pay the money.
As long as Hou Gang can be sent away, he will be able to control Yangping Pass, and he can decide whether to surrender or fight in the future.
On August 13th of the first year of Zhengguang, it was just the third day after Su Ze built a military camp and besieged Yangping Pass.
Hou Gang led a thousand soldiers, plus a hundred craftsmen recruited for him by Du Can, and the little remaining food in Yangping Pass, and headed for the Baoxiade Road in the Qinling Mountains.
After seeing off Hou Gang, Du Can and Lu Bodu finally waited for Su Ze's envoy to arrive.
An envoy holding a talisman came alone to Yangping Pass. Du Can immediately ordered the soldiers guarding the city to lower the basket and pull the envoy up.
The envoy was seen wearing a Confucian robe and holding a staff. Facing the rebels around him, he was still as graceful as ever.
Seeing the messenger's appearance, Du Can and Lu Bodu were also shocked by him.
The messenger introduced himself: "I am Su Liu, and I have come to Yangping Pass on the orders of General Anxi to discuss your surrender."
Then Su Liu said, "General, you are merciful. If you open Yangping Pass and surrender now, you can still save your life. If you don't surrender in three days, don't say I didn't warn you."
Hearing this, Du Can became furious, but was stopped by Lu Bodu.
Lü Bodu pulled him aside and said, "General Du, if we kill this messenger, we will feel relieved for a while, but we will have no chance to maneuver with the government troops."
"In negotiations, both parties make offers and then bargain. The conditions can be discussed."
Du Can thought for a moment and said in a cold voice: "There are at least 5,000 Qinzhou men inside Yangping Pass. How can they surrender in vain like this?"
Things like the imperial court's edict of amnesty have always been a matter of settling accounts. Although Su Ze is a trapped soldier, he still has to give him some official position to show his sincerity.
These Qinzhou generals were too experienced in asking for prices, and many tribes had been rebelling against the imperial edict for a long time. Du Can had never fought against Su Ze directly, and he still thought that Su Ze had the same ideas as those provincial governors of the Northern Wei Dynasty.
The official position in the court was not their own, but they had to take it themselves to quell the rebellion. Therefore, for a long time, the conditions for the amnesty offered by the generals who went on the expedition of the Northern Wei Dynasty were very generous.
In the historical timeline before Su Ze traveled through time, Xiao Baoyin was unsuccessful in suppressing bandits in Guanzhong, so Lu Bodu led his troops to surrender. At that time, the official positions offered by Xiao Baoyin were General Fujun, Governor of Jingzhou, and Duke of Pingqin County.
Du Can did not aspire to such a high position, but he also fantasized about making further progress than before the rebellion.
In comparison, Lu Bodu is more practical.
He had experienced the Wuxing siege, and had a good understanding of Su Ze's strength and was also aware of the cruelty of the battlefield.
The morale of the troops defending Yangping Pass was low, and a batch of food had been taken away by Hou Gang. If Su Ze really came to attack, he would have to take it down.
Now Lu Bodu's requirements are very low, as long as he can protect himself and his family, it is enough.
At this moment, the envoy named Su Liu suddenly took out a letter and said to Lü Bodu:
"Is this Lu Gong in person?"
Lu Bodu nodded, and Su Liu said, "This is a letter from Lady Lu to Lord Lu. Lady Lu is now in General Su's tent, so Lord Lu, please don't worry."
Lu Bodu was stunned at this moment, and Du Can immediately cast a suspicious look at him.
Countless thoughts flashed through Du Can's mind. Wuxing City was clearly surrounded by the Liangzhou army, so why was Lü Bodu able to escape?
Lu Bodu had already given his daughter to Su Ze, so he pretended to enter Yangping Pass just to surrender?
Du Can himself did not trust Lü Bodu, and Su Liu's words completely tore open the rift between the two.
Du Can's hand was already on his sword, staring at Lu Bodu, wishing he could kill him on the spot.
But Lu Bodu also had his confidants. They sensed the tense atmosphere and surrounded Lu Bodu. Du Can did not dare to take action now.
At this point, Lu Boduo was about to cry, and he cursed Su Ze's entire family in his heart. He really felt like he was harboring evil intentions and was no longer a good person to anyone!
Lu Bodu had also sensed Du Can's murderous intent, and he knew very well that no matter how he explained the matter, Du Can would not continue to trust him.
After figuring this out, Lu Bodu finally understood what Su Ze meant by persuading him to surrender.
These words were not spoken to Du Can at all, but to myself!
If he couldn't surrender the city, Du Can would kill him first without Su Ze having to do anything!
After understanding this, Lu Bodu quickly determined his position.
Under Su Ze's vicious plan, he had no choice but to kill Du Can and open the city to surrender.
Lu Bodu glanced at Du Can carefully. The number of soldiers under his command was far less than that of Du Can, but sometimes it did not take too many people to decide life and death. Lu Bodu had already identified several key people in his mind, and tonight was the time to take action.
But now we still have to keep Du Can stable. Lü Bodu took Su Liu's letter, took a look at it and breathed a sigh of relief.
He handed the letter to his men and then to Du Can.
Du Can also received the letter through his subordinates.
In the letter, Lu Xiuning cursed Su Ze and did not say anything to persuade Lu Bodu to surrender.
Seeing this, Du Can slightly dispelled some of his doubts about Lu Bodu.
Lu Bodu immediately pointed at Su Liu and said, "How dare you! You dare to sow discord between me and General Du! Come, drag this messenger away and imprison him!"
Then Lu Bodu said sincerely:
"General Du, now is the time when Yangping Pass needs to be united. Don't fall for Su Ze's scheme to sow discord!"
Du Can thought about it and realized that he had more people under his command, and the garrison, granary, and military camp of Yangping Pass were also in his hands.
At least Lu Bodu brought some people with him, and they can be dispersed and used as cannon fodder when defending the city.
The two guys, each with their own ulterior motives, smiled at each other, pretended nothing had happened, and walked down the city wall.
That night, Lü Bodu secretly colluded with the guards around Du Can and opened the side door of the Yangping Pass garrison.
Lu Bodu personally led his trusted followers into the garrison.
Du Can also strengthened the defenses of the garrison, but he still didn't expect that Lu Bodu would act so quickly.
It's a pity that Du Can's prestige is still not as good as Lu Bodu's, and Lu Bodu spent all his wealth to bribe many people around Du Can. Under the leadership of a spy in the garrison, Lu Bodu rushed straight into Du Can's bedroom.
When Lü Bodu rushed in, Du Can led his men to rush forward to fight with Lü Bodu, but Lü Bodu just smiled slightly and did not fight Du Can desperately. Instead, he directly blocked the door of the bedroom and ordered his men to carry firewood and start fire.
Du Can's eyes were bloodshot. He led his men to rush out of the bedroom, but was forced back by the archers brought by Lu Bodu.
Thick smoke billowed and Du Can's close associates began to cough violently. Du Can gritted his teeth and finally had to lead his men out of the sea of fire.
Arrows rained down, and Du Can was hit by several arrows and fell to the ground dead.
Looking at Du Can lying on the ground, Lu Bodu also felt a sense of grief. It seemed that he had won the victory, but the Lu family no longer had a place among the rebels. Their life or death depended on Su Ze's grace.
Lu Bodu thought of his daughter. As long as Su Ze didn't kill him, he might have another chance in the future.
The subordinate confirmed that Du Can was dead, and came to Lü Bodu and asked:
"General, the traitor is dead. What's next?"
Lü Bodu looked at the gradually spreading fire and said to his guards, "Next? Put out the fire!"
"After tonight, don't call me general anymore. Come with me to open the city gate!"
Lu Bodu took a deep breath. His life or death depended on whether Su Ze kept his word.
The first year of Zhengguang, August 15th, Mid-Autumn Festival, the night of the full moon.
Seeing the fire in Yangping Pass, Su Ze immediately summoned the troops. Sure enough, not long after, the gate of Yangping Pass was opened, and Lu Bodu went out of the city with his hands tied behind his back to surrender.
Su Ze ordered Hou Jing to enter the city. Although he had learned about the situation in the city through Su Liu (the ordinary golden sword messenger), Su Ze still instructed Hou Jing to control the city gate first and then take over the facilities in the city to prevent Lü Bodu from pretending to surrender.
Hou Jing led his troops into the city extremely smoothly and suppressed several groups of rebels who wanted to take advantage of the chaos to rob. Hou Jing quickly took over the important facilities within Yangping Pass, and this most important pass in Liangzhou fell back into the hands of the government troops.
At this point, starting from Hexi and Liangzhou in the west, to Longxi County and entering Hanzhong, Su Ze almost occupied 80% of the territory of ancient Liangzhou, which was close to the territory of Later Liang established by Lu Guang.
Su Ze recaptured Yangping Pass, and Su Liang brought the civil and military officials in the camp to congratulate Su Ze.
At this moment, everyone present understood that his status had been determined, and Su Ze had established prestige in the three states and one county.
As long as the situation in Guanzhong continues to be so chaotic, Su Ze will be the one who calls the shots in these three states and one county!
Yang Kan looked at Su Ze with mixed feelings in his heart. Could it be that this was the time when the era of great strife would come and dragons and snakes would rise together?
The dragon and the snake rose up together, leaping above the sky and turning into a dragon, sinking into the abyss and transforming into a snake. Yang Kan didn't know whether he was following a real dragon or a fake dragon.
However, in such an era, since Yang Kan was entrusted with Liangzhou by Fu Shuyan, he had no other choice except Su Ze.
Yang Kan corrected his thoughts, understood his position, and led the Liangzhou generals to salute Su Ze in unison.
Su Ze looked at the extinguished fire in Yangping Pass, then looked at the bright moonlight in the sky, then he looked around and said:
"No need for formalities. We will stay outside the city today. After we settle down at Yangping Pass tomorrow, I will personally visit Governor Fu."
Everyone said in unison: "Yes!"
The status of the king and his subjects has been determined. After traveling through time, Su Ze has finally earned a foundation.
Yang Kan stepped forward and presented Su Ze with the first strategy for the relationship between the monarch and his subjects:
"Please send a messenger to report the victory to the Chang'an Executive Office via the Tangluo Road."
Su Ze smiled and said, "Good!"
-
Xiao Baoyin was stationed in Wugong, and the nobles of Yongzhou donated money and food, which greatly enhanced the government army's strength.
However, Xiao Baoyi was still very anxious. However, Mo Zhe Tiansheng, who had captured Chencang, had not mobilized his troops for a whole month, which made Xiao Baoyi both happy and worried.
He was happy that he had more time to organize his army and prepare for war, but he was worried that the rebels would have the same amount of rest time. Moreover, since Cui Yanbo was defeated, the government army had no capital to be defeated again. Xiao Baoyin could not lose Chang'an politically, so he could only stay in Wugong to defend Chang'an.
But Mozhe Tiansheng had many choices. He could cross the Baoxiade Road to attack Liangzhou, bypass Yongzhou to take Huazhou, attack Gaoping to the north, and attack Longxi to the west.
Moreover, since King Yuanyi of Jiangyang came to power, he has become increasingly dissatisfied with Xiao Baoyin's military achievements.
The court has sent three waves of envoys to urge Xiao Baoyin to quell the rebellion as soon as possible. Even Xiao Baoyin's spies in Luoyang heard that there were rumors in Luoyang city that Prince Jiangyang wanted Prince Guangyang Yuanshen to replace himself as the commander-in-chief of the Western Expedition.
Although Xiao Baoyin had ordered his cronies who remained in Luoyang to continue bribing Yuan Yi with large sums of money, if he continued to make no progress, he would not be able to keep his position no matter how much money he had.
When Xiao Baoyin was getting anxious and angry, his chief secretary Liu Kai walked into his tent excitedly.
"General! Good news has come from Longxi. General Su Ze of Anxi has defeated the Qinzhou rebels in Longxi County!"
Now that Qinzhou was cut off due to the war, Su Ze's envoy who came to report the victory had to go around the northern line before delivering the victory report from Longxi a year ago to Xiao Baoyin.
When Xiao Baoyin heard the news from Longxi, he didn't know why he couldn't be happy.
Su Ze's great victory did not help the front battlefield, but instead made him look more incompetent.
Xiao Baoyin said: "The rebels who attacked Longxi County were only a small group of troops. Don't ask for credit for this small achievement!"
Liu Kai was just about to persuade him again. If he was not rewarded for his merits, Su Ze might become alienated.
At the same time, Su Ze's envoy who brought the victory message had already trudged through the mountains of Tangluo Road, and was heading to Chang'an with the victory message with difficulty.
(End of this chapter)