Chapter 1027 Selection

  Hedong County, Dongyuan County.

  As a county seat with water and mountains behind it, Dongyuan at this time did not show the momentum to guard the danger.

  The walled city built of loess, because it has not been maintained for a long time, coupled with the wars in the past few months, looks a little damaged and dilapidated at this time.

  Many places look like a barren hill of loess.

  The original manor house near the outskirts of the city has long since disappeared.

  Because of the arrival of winter, the dilapidated houses didn't even have the sound of insects, and they were as quiet as a ghost house.

  Occasionally flashing foxes, weasels and other animals add a bit of weirdness to this place.

  Under the setting sun with no temperature, the shadow of the house was stretched, making it look gloomy.

   "Crack"!

  The dull sound of a rotten wood breaking was heard slightly.

  A dozen figures appeared in the alley between the houses, walking and jumping cautiously.

   After confirming that there was no one in the abandoned residential buildings, these people found a high place and quietly knelt down.

   Then began to look at the east wall city shrouded in the setting sun.

   "Not to mention cutting down the trees around the city, even the houses around the city have not been cleared. It can be seen that these rioters have never thought about how to defend the city."

   Someone muttered.

   "Always be careful."

  The leader of the scout who was paying attention and observing did not turn back, and said:

   "The matter of life and death before the battle, if you are more careful, you will have a better chance of surviving. Swords and arrows don't have eyes."

   "Hey, boss, I just said that casually."

  The speaker stretched his neck and glanced at the city wall, and said again:

   "Just don't say that there are tens of thousands of rioters in this city? It doesn't matter if the city gate is not closed, why are there no people guarding the city gate? The city wall collapsed badly, and you don't even talk about repairing it?"

  The leader of the scouts stared intently for a while, then smiled:

   "Isn't this just right? When the sun sets, let's see if we can sneak into the city through those collapsed openings."

   Changed Wei thief, they naturally dare not be so bold.

  But as far as the rioters in the city are concerned, the outside of the city does not even have the most basic defenses, which shows the degree of laxity.

  For well-trained elite scouts, as long as they act properly, they may not be unable to break through the wall.

  After making a decision, they found another well-preserved private house. After setting up a guard, they began to drink water and eat dry food, and then rested.

  It gets dark early in winter, and shortly after the sun sets, a layer of mist forms on the ground, and the sky and the earth suddenly become hazy.

   This team of scouts spread out, walked through the dry grass outside the city, and began to touch the city wall while it was dark.

   The process of climbing over the wall was far smoother than expected.

  Not only did the rioters not think about repairing the collapsed city walls, they didn't even guard the gaps.

   It could also be that the walls have collapsed so much that they can't repair them at all.

  Crossing into the city from the gap in the city wall, you can see that there seems to be a little light in the distance.

  The team of scouts bent down, using the parapet of the city wall as cover, and kept groping and approaching. The gray houses closest to the bottom of the city wall seemed to be lifeless.

  When approaching the houses with lights exposed, shouting, singing, cursing, laughing and crying could be heard coming from under the cave-like roof.

  The shadow refracted by the light is like a living thing walking in the dark alley like a tunnel.

   It was easy to touch the edge of the enemy's core, leaving the elite team sent to investigate the situation a little at a loss:

   With such a bird-like opponent, where does he have the confidence to refuse the emperor's order to recruit security?

   "Check inside again to see if there are any other discoveries..."

  The captain of the scout whispered an order, and more than a dozen people began to disperse.

  Crossed the outer perimeter and went all the way to the inner city, only then did the scouts discover something strange.

  Different from the chaotic outer city, the inner city is not only closed, but also has guards on the walls.

  Although it doesn't look very professional, there are still people standing under the firelight so loudly at night, and you can even see them talking and laughing with each other.

   Isn't this the obvious target?

  Although I don't know if there are hidden sentries in invisible places, it depends on the arrangement of these clear sentries and the various actions of the soldiers on duty under the fire.

  Combined with the outer city and all kinds of things outside the city, the scout captain can easily judge:

  The rioters in the inner city, or the thieves, although they have initially formed an organization, they still cannot pose a threat to the Liangzhou army.

  However, since there are guards in the inner city, and you are not familiar with the environment, it is not easy to continue to sneak in, the risk is too great.

   Quietly exit the city the same way, the team gathers at the original place, and when everyone is together, they can collect the situation they have detected and send it to the rear.

   After receiving the news, Liu Hun was not surprised at all.

  He found Han Long:

   "Master, I'm sorry."

  Han Long nodded and sighed: "I hope they can wake up in time."

  The Wulin League put forward the slogan of "The Great Hero, Serving the Country and the People" during the Great Cleansing of Hedong, which is considered quite famous.

   I have come into contact with many rangers, so I searched and turned around, found a few ways to get in touch with the leaders of the rioters, sent the order for security, and at the same time tried to persuade the other party to surrender as soon as possible.

   This time, it is the deadline set by the king.

   Obviously, Junhou no longer wants to waste any more time on the rioters in Dongyuan.

  Liu Hun nodded, but judging from the news sent back by the scouts, he had lost hope.

   "Then I will go back to reorganize the army first."

  The rioters in the inner city of Dongyuan were completely unaware that a large army was already making final preparations less than a hundred miles away.

  In other words, they never thought that a certain prince who had been admiring the scenery on the bank of the big river suddenly set his sights on one of the easternmost counties in Hedong County.

  The leader of the rioters in Dongyuan City, Liu Asi, got up after three poles in the sun, served by a maid.

  He was originally a low-level official in the Tuntian Hakka Mansion. When the news came that Bingzhou was attacked by the Shu captives, the Tuntian Hakkas in all counties in Hedong were mobilized.

   It's just that the Shu captives came too fast, which was beyond everyone's expectations.

  Liu Asi was originally assigned to send a group of farmers to Anyi to serve as guards, but he didn't know that he hadn't gone halfway, when he got the news that the Shu captives had broken through Guanjuejin Valley and went straight to the hinterland of Hedong.

  At that time, the news of Hedong changed three times a day, and people were panicked.

   Before Liu Asi led the people to continue to move forward, the Shu captives had already arrived at the city of Anyi.

   Yes, this time, even if the road to Anyi is completely cut off.

  As a small official in the Tuntian Hakka Mansion, Liu Asi often dealt with Tuntian Hakkas, and knew very well the hardships of the low-level Tuntian Hakkas.

  Over the years, the farmers have either fled into the mountains, or seized the city to cause chaos, and various incidents have emerged one after another.

  If it weren't for the suppression of the army, there would have been many troubles in the past few years in a place like Hedong.

  In Liu Ah Si's view, the entry of Shu captives into Hedong is like being poured a barrel of oil on dry firewood with sparks everywhere.

  If you just lead these people back like this, as long as the news of the Shu captives entering Hedong spreads wildly, they might have their heads cut off in the middle of the night before they return to Dongyuan.

   And even if he can return to Dongyuan safely, it is unknown whether he will be charged with failing to rescue him because he did not arrive in Anyi in time.

  After reaching this conclusion, Liu Ahsi gritted his teeth and immediately went all out. He called everyone together.

   I only said that Anyi has been occupied by the Shu captives, and I am afraid that people like myself will be severely punished according to the law if they fail to rescue them.

   But if he continued to move forward, he would probably be sent to die in Anyi with his own people.

  Although the Tuntian Hakka Mansion can barely be regarded as a semi-military management, compared with the real garrison, it is not the slightest bit worse.

  The garrisons in Bingzhou and Hedong couldn't stop the Shu captives. How could they be the opponents of the Shu captives?

  Bewitched by Liu Asi's half-truths, half-truths, and even threats and threats, thousands of farmers in the fields only knew that they had nowhere to go.

  They were deeply oppressed in Japan. Under such circumstances, Liu Ahsi took the opportunity to raise his arms, and these farmers directly turned against him.

  They robbed the nearest small county town, and then found a mountain, and used it as a temporary hiding place.

  The subsequent development of the situation in Hedong was as expected by Liu Ah Si.

  No, the chaos in Hedong was more violent than Liu Ah Si thought.

  Shu captives entered the country, civil unrest broke out everywhere, the government surrendered, and some fled. Who would remember Liu Ahsi and the others?

  Liu Asi took advantage of the chaos, and then led the villagers back to Dongyuan, which he was familiar with, and easily captured the county seat.

   The semi-militarized farmer is naturally inferior to the regular garrison, but it has many advantages for the unorganized mob.

  With a place to live, the surrounding rioters were either annexed by Liu Ah Si, or they took the initiative to surrender. At that time, more than 30,000 rioters gathered in Dongyuan City.

  Liu Asi first expected the situation in Hedong, and in the past few months, he took advantage of the situation and his power continued to expand, so he suddenly became a little flustered:

  Chen Sheng and Wu Guang can only lead 900 people, and they can be called kings. At any rate, I can also call myself "General Zhenhedong", right?

  This is also the reason why he did not accept the recruitment order:

  I have already taken the name of the town of Hedong, and if I want to surrender, I have to promise the position of county guard no matter what. Who are you trying to fool with that field?

  Compared to Zhiguan, the Han army is really stingy.

   After eating, I don't know if it was breakfast or lunch, so Liu Ahsi received a report from the servants:

   "General, the Han army has sent someone to send a security order."

  Liu Asi picked his teeth and asked casually:

   "What about the conditions?"

   "It's still the same as last time."

   "Bah!" Liu Ahsi spat out the food residue in his mouth and expressed his disdain at the same time.

   "General, this time it's Chief Liu from Hei'er Village, do you want to meet, General?"

  The so-called chief Liu is a village owner of the manor under the mountain in the south of Dongyuan.

  Because they have the same surname, and their ancestors have been in Dongyuan for three generations, the two of them really have to count, and they are barely related.

  This Chief Liu has a big family and a great business. He has taken in many followers before, and even knight-errants went in and out of it. He is a prominent figure in this area.

  After the chaos in the east of the river, although Liu Zhaizhu, a local snake, did not occupy the city like Liu Asi, but he pulled some people, built a stronghold, and guarded against the mountain, that is the foundation.

   "Even he plans to join the Han army?"

   Liu Ah Si was a little impatient, "Forget it, let's meet."

   Calling him Chief Liu is just to save him face.

  In fact, it's not that he didn't think about detaining Chief Liu and annexing Hei'er Village.

  But there are many rangers in Hei Er Shanzhai, if something happens to Chief Liu, I am afraid that I will face the assassination of rangers.

  In Liu Ahsi's view, he is now at the moment of laying the foundation for his great cause.

  For a village with only two or three hundred people, not only ruined his reputation, but also let himself be missed by the ranger, it's not worth it.

   It's just that Chief Liu came here in person this time, and he was destined to return disappointed.

  Different from Chief Liu's loneliness when he left, Liu Ah Si standing at the head of the inner city was full of ambition.

  Though the rioters in the outer city were chaotic, in his eyes, they were his private part, his wealth.

   Liu Asi watched Chief Liu and several of his subordinates disappear outside the city, his eyes casually looked into the distance, and suddenly his body froze!

   At the limit of the line of sight, it seems that it is not the same as before.

"what is that?"

   Liu Asi muttered to himself.

  The inner city is not too high, coupled with the cover of the outer city wall and various obstacles outside the city, it seriously blocked his sight.

   Along with the change in sight, there seemed to be a faint thunder.

  Hu Qi still retains the habits of their tribe, roaring in the wilderness, making all kinds of strange calls.

  Someone rolled and climbed up the inner city wall:

   "General, general, it's not good, there is an enemy situation outside the city, the enemy situation..."

   Speech is incoherent, as if he has been frightened out of his wits.

   Liu Ah Si, who was standing there, looked at the crowds of people in the distance outside the city, rushing towards Dongyuan City like a black monster, his face turned pale.

   It's not that he didn't think that one day, the Han army or Wei army might appear under Dongyuan City.

  But over the past few months, defeating nearly ten groups of rebels gave him a powerful illusion.

   More importantly, isn't the Han army at a stalemate with the Wei army by the river?

  Zhiguan's Wei army has never dared to come out, even if they dared to come out, the first goal would only be to attack the Han army.

  So where did the army coming towards Dongyuan come from?

  Liu Hun raised his binoculars and looked at Dongyuan City. As the scouts said, many parts of the city wall could be passed by a leaping horse, and they couldn't stop them at all.

   "Pass down the order, find a way to drive out all the people from the outer city, gather them in one place, and then surround the inner city!"

   "No!"

  …

   "Wow!"

  The door of the shed was pushed open, and some cold air leaked in, but the person quickly closed the door again.

   "Mom, I'm back."

  The fourteen-year-old boy has a duck voice unique to his age.

   "Are you back? Are you hungry? There is food left by the fire pit, wash your hands first."

  A woman answered while pouring some hot water into the tub.

  The young man responded, walked over to wash his hands, then sat by the firepit, and started to gobble it up.

  Compared to the meals he had eaten before, the meals at this time can only be regarded as crude.

   But the mother and son seem to have gotten used to this kind of life.

   "Are you hungry? Why did you come back so late?"

  The woman looked at her son with pity and guilt.

   "Something happened in the military..."

  The young man answered vaguely while eating his dinner.

  After eating, he poured himself another bowl of hot water, took two sips, and then said:

   "Mother, the army is now going to select some locals to help manage the place. I, I want to try."

  The woman who lowered her head and took advantage of the firelight to mend clothes did not expect her son to say this, she suddenly raised her head:

"no!"

"Why?"

   "Your surname is Pei, how many people in Hedong haven't heard of your name? If you do this and do this, don't you vote..."

  When the woman said this, she glanced at the door subconsciously, and then lowered her voice:

   "Thieves?"

  Pei Xiu smiled wryly:

   "Mother, what is the difference between us now and surrendering to the thieves, cough, I mean, what is the difference between us now and surrendering to the Han army?"

   "It's not the same." The woman wrinkled the clothes in her hands vigorously, and at the same time, her tone increased, as if she was persuading the child and comforting herself:

   "We are forced now. Even if we return to the Pei family in the future, others will not blame us. But if we take the initiative to surrender, the Pei family will no longer be able to accept us."

  Pei Xiu was somewhat disapproving of what her mother said:

   "What are you going back to do? The Pei family is now... hum!"

   Seeing her son's dissatisfaction, the woman persuaded:

   "Although I come from a humble background, you will inherit the title in the future. How can you belittle yourself?"

  It turned out that Pei Xiu's aunt's mother died early, and Pei Xiu was known as a "lower leader", so although he was a concubine, if nothing else happened, it is likely that he would succeed his father Pei Qian's title.

  So what the mother and son said to the outside world is really half-truth and half-false.

  The reason why they fell into the hands of the rioters in the country manor was actually because Pei Xiu's grandfather passed away. They were going to the funeral, but they didn't expect to encounter military riots on the way.

  It's just that what Pei Xiu saw and heard in the army in the past few months made him think otherwise:

   "Mum, it's hard to say whether I can inherit the title of your lord in the future!"

  The woman is a little unclear.

  Pei Xiu got up, walked to the door, looked out quietly, and made sure there was no one, then she came back and said in a low voice:

   "Today I heard news that Feng Junhou led the army back to Anyi."

   "It's that Feng ghost... Feng thief, no, I mean, that Feng Junhou?"

  Pei Xiu nodded: "Not only is Feng Junhou back, but he also brought back a piece of news."

  He paused:

   "Da Sima has been defeated and is now leading the army out of Guanzhong."

"What?!"

   Pei Xiu looked at Grandma and said seriously:

   "Mother, you also know that Feng Junhou has been standing by the river in front of him, confronting Da Sima."

   "Now that he led the army back to Anyi, he not only promulgated a security order to stabilize Hedong, but also selected local people to help manage the place. What does that mean?"

   There was a sudden silence between the mother and son.

   After a long time, Pei Xiu quietly asked and answered:

   "It shows that the news that Da Sima withdrew from Guanzhong is very likely to be true, and the big man is already preparing to manage Hedong..."

  Since Pei Xiu can remember, Wei has lost Longyou and Liangzhou.

  Now Bingzhou is lost, Hedong is lost, and Guanzhong is lost...

  No matter what Wei Guo said that he is the most righteous in the world, it is an indisputable fact that he has fallen behind in the competition with Han in these years.

  Then, it is hard to say how attractive Wei's title is.

   "Mother, our Pei family, in this turmoil, we don't know how much energy we have left. Instead of relying on the adults, it's better for us to find a way to save ourselves."

  The woman raised her head after hearing Pei Xiu's words:

   "You have to think about it. You are different from the rest of the Pei family. You are a late leader with a good reputation. Once you make a decision, it will affect many people in the Pei family."

  Pei Xiu nodded:

   "It is precisely because I am the late leader of the Pei family that I want to try."

  The woman was silent again.

   "Forget it, since you've made up your mind, I won't stop you. You're right, the Pei family should think of a way out."

  PS:

  In the last chapter, a book friend pointed out that the population of Hedong was wrong. I took a look and it was indeed a problem.

  Because when I wrote it, my mind was full of Sanhe, so I thought of Hedong as the whole of Sanhe.

According to the peak population statistics of the Western and Eastern Han Dynasties, coupled with the proportion of population loss at the end of the Han Dynasty, and the real population estimate after the unification of the Jin Dynasty, I personally think that the real population of the land of three rivers (namely Hedong, Hanoi, and Henan), including the hidden population, should be There are more than one million.

  Henan is the most, followed by Hanoi, and Hedong is the last, but the difference between the three is not too big.

  So the total population of Hedong has been changed to 300,000, thank you for your correction.

  (end of this chapter)