On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, Zhang, the governor of Linfu Road, took 5,000 soldiers to Dongshengzhou. Du Zhongxiao led people out of the city and was happy to see each other.

After saluting, Du Zhongxiao took Zhang's hand and said, "I haven't seen you for a few years, but the general still has the same demeanor." ”

Zhang Dao: "The strategy is different. When I saw him back then, he was a young Zhizhou, and when he saw him again a few years later, he would be handsome all the way. ”

Du Zhongxiao laughed, took Zhang's hand, and returned to the state office together.

Sitting down in the main hall, Zhang met with Bao Zheng, Liu Ji, Shisanlang and other important civil and military officials, and said: "Commander of Fenghedong Road, I will bring 5,000 soldiers and horses to Hequ Road to listen to Du Jinglu's command." A few years ago, after knowing a little about the Volcano Army, I was appointed to patrol along the border and captured Tanglong Town together. Later, they were separated and never saw each other again. But I don't want to go back to Tanglong Town again, defeat Yelu Chongyuan in one battle, and then kill Yelu Zongzhen, which is really an unprecedented victory for this dynasty! ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "The prison came just in time, this is the time to employ people, with people, things will be easy to do." Today's Shangyuan, Dongshengzhou City is lit up all night. We have seen the lights, and the back office has set up a banquet to catch the wind for the capital eunuch. ”

Zhang looked at Liu Ji and Shisanlang and said, "The first time Jingluo fought a war, it was with me. It's a pity that they were separated later! If I was also there in Tanglong Town, I would have to make some military achievements, not like now. ”

Liu Jidao: "What's the hurry, as long as the army is here, are you afraid that there will be no battle?" Now it is different from before, in the past, there were repeated defeats, and everyone changed color when they heard of the enemy. Now the morale is high, and the armies are seeking war, and it is not easy to achieve military feats! ”

Bao Zheng on the side listened to it, and said: "As a soldier, it is naturally right to be sincere in meritorious service." However, for the court to guard the place, you should be serious, and you can't provoke the border! After the first battle in Tanglong Town, everyone in the Khitan and the party was frightened, how could they start a war? ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "We just have to do what we have to do, what the Khitan and the party members think is their business." Treat each other with courtesy, and we will greet each other with a smile. If you come to war, you will not be afraid of them. When there is no war, it is only necessary to govern the area, reclaim the wasteland, and increase the population. ”

What Bao Zheng said is very reasonable, and Du Zhongxiao also thinks that what he said is right, but if it is said that the border will be stable from now on, it may not be. In this war, the Khitan and the party were naturally afraid of Du Zhongxiao's Hequ army, but if they didn't dare to fight, then they would underestimate them. How could they have developed to this day with such an easy way to be convinced? As long as they find an opportunity, they will definitely come up and bite hard.

The nomadic tribe is different from the Central Plains Dynasty in that the national strength is provided by the tribes and tribes, not just the forces controlled by the state on the surface. The tribe has its own private wealth and interests, how can it be suppressed? The development of the river meandering road is a threat to them, and they will not sit idly by. Now because of the heavy punishment, it is the people of Hequ Road who run to their two countries, and when Hequ Road develops, of course it will be reversed, and the people in their territory will run to this side. The Song Dynasty didn't care about population loss, and the Khitan and the party couldn't care less.

Previously, Han Qi promised to send 40,000 reinforcements, but in the end, the court argued, and finally reduced it by more than half. Linfu Road sent 5,000 soldiers, and Dailu sent 10,000 soldiers, a total of 15,000 reinforcements. The imperial court believed that the Khitan and the party would definitely not dare to attack in recent years, sending too many troops and putting too much logistical pressure.

Although the railways have made it much easier to transport personnel and supplies, there is a consensus that the cost of raising troops should be minimized.

Seeing that it was not early, Du Zhongxiao said: "The capital eunuch and take the soldiers and horses to camp and rest, clean up a little, and we will watch the lanterns and drink the banquet at night." ”

Dongshengzhou is the first time to put up lights on the Yuan Festival, and the news spread, and there are people from hundreds of miles away, and it is strange to see. The sun has not yet set, and the streets are already bustling. A large number of Tibetan tribes have been severely punished for human trafficking, and many others who have not been involved have not been affected.

Although Du Zhongxiao severely punished the Tibetan tribes who trafficked in human beings, he also abolished a large number of harsh taxes and miscellaneous taxes during the Khitan rule, strengthened trade, and the tribes reaped tangible benefits. In Hequ Road, the government sold grain at a fair price, and many Tibetan tribes benefited from this alone.

For nomadic tribes, it is the most difficult time to survive in winter when livestock are reduced and it is not easy to survive. There is a lack of clothes and clothing, and the climate is cold, and many people will not survive the next winter. After the Song army came, on the one hand, they bought livestock skins at a suitable price, and on the other hand, they sold grain at a reasonable price, and sold a large number of cotton clothes, which solved many big problems. As long as you don't get involved, this Spring Festival is the happiest time many people have ever had.

Wang Pu walked on the street, bought a string of sugar gourds for his son, and said to Bai Ze beside him: "Outside, my tribe will move to Dongsheng Prefecture in the next year, and there will be fields and pastures. I thought about it, and in the future, the people in the tribe will be like the Han people of the Volcano Army, let them farm and graze their own cattle and set up villages, and I will concentrate on business. Wouldn't it be nice for someone from outside to come and help me, take care of the business together, and make some money? ”

Bai Ze said: "Now here on Hequ Road, everyone is talking about the change of Han people, how can you still hire me?" ”

Wang Pu smiled: "I have seen the Jingluo Xianggong, and I know that it is not the same thing at all." The strict handling of the strategy is to plunder the Han people as slaves and maids, or to sell human beings, and I have never sold them. The Han people in my tribe are hired, and they have always been paid, and they are not slaves, so what are you afraid of? Outside the staff and I cooperate to do business, not to mention hire, let's set up a company together, make money and share profits, how about it? ”

Bai Ze said: "How can you think like this? Doing business is not as hard as farming and raising horses, and there are many risks. ”

Wang Pu said: "I naturally know. But after seeing a lot, I feel that this is the day I want. If it weren't for the tribe to take care of, I would have moved to the Volcano Army and become an outsider. Now that the prime minister has come and settled the clansmen, it has saved me a lot of thoughts. ”

Tribal leaders certainly have many benefits, but also many troubles. Of course, the reason why the Tibetan tribe is a form of social organization is not because he lives in abundance, but because he is so poor that he can only survive in the form of a tribe.

Wang Pu is very familiar with the Volcano Army, and he has seen a lot of things, and he has already thought about it. Anyone who moves to the Volcano Army, as long as it takes a year or two, the tribe will disintegrate, without exception. It has nothing to do with people, their production conditions have changed, most of the households are self-sufficient, what else do you need tribes to do? As long as the government administers fairly, the tribal households will soon become independent. In harsh conditions, the tribe needs a leader to lead everyone through the difficult times. How can it be maintained if the leader is only asking for it?

This is a natural transition from primitive tribes to yeoman farmers, not subject to human will. Wang Pu didn't understand the truth, but he could accept this phenomenon and knew that he couldn't reverse it forcibly. Rather than maintain the status of the leader, and after two or three years, the sky will be angry and people will be angry and forced to let go, it is better to prepare early from the beginning. Inviting Bai Ze back is to change his identity and become a businessman.

Listening to Wang Pu say, after the tribe moved here, how to distribute farming, how to distribute grazing, and how to do business, Bai Ze nodded secretly.

Wang Pu's target business is sheep raising. Wool is a big industry, the Volcano Army does it there, why can't it be done here? In recent years, the Khitan and the party have been fighting wars year after year, not only the social order is chaotic, but the looting is also heavy, and the Hequ Prefecture is very hard. When you settle down, there are opportunities everywhere.

Hearing Wang Pu talk about his plans, Bai Ze praised: "The little prince has a far-reaching mind, and he will definitely be rich and rich in the future!" Wool is indeed a good business, and over the years, the Volcano Army has searched everywhere, and the price has more than doubled. Now that the road with the volcano army is open, there are good sheep breeds, and there is pastureland, it is not difficult to make money. In addition to raising sheep and collecting wool, does the little prince still want to spin wool and weave cloth? ”

Wang Pu waved his hand: "This time is different from the past, don't call me a little prince, just call me an outsider according to the custom." Dongshengzhou is full of industry here, and I really want to spin wool and weave cloth. I heard that there were a full set of machines for sale in the Song Dynasty, and there was also a steam engine, which did not have to rely on the river. If we buy a full set of machines and open a factory, will we be worse than the members of the Volcano Army? ”