Xu Shu continued: "After repeated deductions by me and the military advisors, we believe that Yuan Shao's strategy can be completely successful. Cao Cao and Liu Bei have been fighting with Yuan Shu this year in order to recapture the Central Plains and Xiapi County in Xuzhou, and during this period, Zang Ba and others in Qingzhou also took the initiative to attack Xuzhou twice, forcing Xuzhou to fight on two fronts.www.biquge.info ”

"Since last year's Jizhou War, Cao Cao and Liu Bei's strength has not been restored. Although Cao Cao was also recruiting soldiers, and even in order to control the loss of soldiers, he also imitated Hebei's new military system to implement the 'scholar family system', and changed some of the Tuntian soldiers into generations of military households. Liu Bei also received a replenishment of troops because of Zhu Ling's victory over the Qingzhou army in Zhengrong Valley. However, the recovery of military strength does not represent the recovery of their own strength. ”

At the same time, Cao Cao and Liu Bei encountered the difficulties of a shortage of financial resources in their respective states and counties. Yanzhou was devastated by last year's drought and Yuan Shu's plunder, and its self-protection seemed to be barely protective. Because Xuzhou provided grain and grass for the expeditionary armies of Yan and Xu for two consecutive years, coupled with the key attacks by Yuan Shu, Xuzhou's financial endowment was seriously overdrawn. In order to support it, Liu Bei had to order an increase in endowments and borrow credit from the wealthy men in Xuzhou, and the contradictions between Xuzhou and the top and bottom became very intense. ”

"In the case that Yuan Shu wants to fight back frantically and Yuan Shao wants to seize the Central Plains, Cao Cao and Liu Bei, for their own survival, may take advantage of the contradictions between the Yuan brothers to stop the competition for Jianghuai, negotiate peace with Yuan Shu in private, and turn to confront Yuan Shao in unison."

"Like Yuan Shao, we don't want the big war between the Jianghuai to stop, so we want to take the initiative to attack Yuan Shao after the year, firmly contain Yuan Shao's forces, and let the Jianghuai war continue."

"The battlefield for the attack on Yuan Shao is in Hanoi. The battlefield in Hanoi must be fought hard and fiercely, and it is necessary to attract Yuan Shao's main force to defend Luoyang, so that he is temporarily unable to take care of Jiang Zhun, so that Cao Cao and Liu Bei must seize this golden opportunity, muster up the last trace of strength to defeat Yuan Shu, and seize Jiang Zhun, so as to completely solve the worries of the two. ”

"When the Jianghuai War entered the most intense stage, we took advantage of the time when Cao Cao and Liu Bei were scarred, and when Yuan Shao was entangled in Hanoi, gathered 300,000 troops and went down, divided the troops into three ways, and killed the Central Plains at the same time, striving to take the Central Plains in the shortest time and at the lowest cost before the forces of all parties formed an alliance to join forces to fight against Hebei."

"An army of 300,000?" Zhang Fei's eyes widened, and he asked in surprise, "Big brother, the troops in Hedong are also going to be transferred to Jizhou to attack the Central Plains with us?" ”

"The troops in Hedong can't move." Xu Shu shook his hand and said, "Hedong's troops were the most important restraining force during the Central Plains War, and they were also the main force to attack Guanzhong and Guanxi in the future, so it is impossible for the imperial court to recruit them to the Central Plains battlefield now." In addition, this kind of large-scale and thousands of miles of troop transfer has no possibility of secrecy, which will expose our intention to attack the Central Plains prematurely, which will be very unfavorable to the upcoming Central Plains War. ”

"And where did the 300,000 army come from?" Zhang He asked suspiciously.

At present, the standing army of the Northern Xinjiang Army is only about 300,000, and if we want to mobilize 300,000 troops, wouldn't it be necessary to mobilize all the standing armies?

As for the garrison, all the generals, including Zhang He, did not count it. Although the garrison army is not bad compared to the army of the princes, for the generals within the Northern Frontier Army, they do not count it in the official army.

"Even if Qingzhou Zangba is willing to follow us to attack the Central Plains, due to the defeat of Yin Li and Wu Dun in Zhengrong Valley not long ago, Qingzhou lost his troops and lost his generals. It would be very good that he could send 20,000 troops this time. ”

Thinking that the lord just said that he was going to Qingzhou to meet Zang Ba, Gao Shun immediately thought of the purpose of the lord's trip. Perhaps the lord wanted to persuade Zang Ba to attack the Central Plains with the Northern Xinjiang army.

"You don't have to guess, the army that will be dispatched this time includes three infantry standing regiments and one cavalry standing regiment stationed in Jizhou, 114,000 men and horses, plus two infantry standing regiments and one cavalry standing regiment stationed in Youzhou, a total of 82,000 men and horses." Zhuge Liang smiled and said to the generals, "In addition, there are two cavalry standing regiments stationed in the desert and the Hu iron cavalry, with a total of about 100,000 troops. ”

The generals were taken aback, and everyone looked at Li Yi dumbfounded.

Jizhou and Youzhou are now considered the interior of northern Xinjiang, and the law and order are good, even if all the standing corps are transferred away and there are garrison corps stationed there, there will be no problems. However, it would be a bit risky to transfer all the garrison corps of the desert as well. Moreover, according to what Zhuge said by the military division, the lord still wants to mobilize 70,000 Hu iron cavalry to go south?

"My lord, in the four hundred years of the Han Dynasty, there has never been an iron horse of the Hu clan in the Central Plains." Zhang He said worriedly, "Lord, you have to be cautious in this matter and think twice." ”

"Seeing the Hu iron cavalry set foot in the Central Plains, whether it is ordinary people, county officials, or even soldiers of the Northern Xinjiang Army, it is difficult to accept it for a while." Guan Yu also said worriedly, "The same is true for the Hu people, they may clash with the people of the Han Dynasty and our army soldiers because of hatred, fear, inferiority or other reasons. The conscription of the Hu iron cavalry to the south to participate in the war is really worrying. ”

Zhang Fei and others expressed their own opinions and were all opposed to this matter.

In order to win the Great War in the Central Plains, we need iron cavalry, but the lord is worried that after the iron cavalry stationed outside the fortress goes south, the troops stationed in the desert will be seriously insufficient, so he even thought of using the method of requisitioning the iron cavalry of the Hu tribe in the desert to go south to participate in the war to achieve the balance of the Han and Hu forces in the desert and maintain the stability of the desert, which is not right.

Hu people are Hu people, they are not Han people.

Li Yi shook his head and did not speak

Shi Xunyu, the chief of the General's Mansion, stood up, and he gave a detailed and thorough explanation of the various political consequences arising from the imperial court's deprivation of the status of vassal states of the Hu tribes and the submission of household registration by the Hu tribes to the imperial court, as well as the many effects arising from this and its significance to the great cause of Zhongxing in the future.

The generals understood, but they were still worried about the Hu tribe's iron cavalry going south to participate in the war. The internal affairs of the Han people should be solved by the Han people themselves, why do they have to pull the Hu people? Even if he wins, he will not win or win in a glorious way. Could it be that the court said that the Hu people were all Han people when they entered the Han nationality, and the Han people could accept the Hu people? Can the Hu people obey the Han? Can the centuries-old hatred between the two be wiped out? .

"This matter is a matter for the Son of Heaven and the imperial court." Li Yi didn't want to get too entangled in this matter, "The decisions of the Son of Heaven and the imperial court are all for the great cause of the prosperity of the Han Dynasty, there are some things you don't understand, it doesn't matter, you just need to fight a good battle, kill the rebels and calm the world." If you can figure out the affairs of the imperial court, then what do you need these ministers to do? ”

The generals laughed. Also, my own group of warriors has no ability to govern the country, as long as they fight and win the war, it is useless to think about a lot. The general himself is not in Jicheng, let alone those of us.

"Don't worry too much." Li Yi said with a smile, "After the Hu Clan's iron cavalry army is assembled, I will personally lead the south, and there will be no problems." ”

Then he pointed to Tai Shi Ci and said: "When and how the battle in Hanoi will start is directly related to the beginning of the Central Plains War. Before I go back to Jicheng, you hand over the Hanoi battle plan to me, and I will take it to Jicheng. ”

Tai Shi Ci bowed down to answer the order.

Next, Li Yi and others gave a detailed account of the build-up and deployment of troops, the stockpiling of grain, grass and ordnance, and instructed the generals to make sure to do a good job in the preparatory work for the Central Plains War.

………………

In mid-November, Li Yi, accompanied by Yizhou Assassin Shi Bao Zheng, Li Jing, Gao Shun and others, arrived at Ganling City in Ganling County.

Xu Ming, the minister of Ganling, Zhen Yao, the minister of Hejian, Cui Zhouping, the Taishou of Bohai County, and Youheng, the Taishou of Pingyuan County, came to visit.

Since Zang Ba handed over Pingyuan County, which is located in the southern part of the Yellow River, to Hebei, the imperial court appointed a taishou. Li Yi knew You Heng when he was in Jicheng, he was a spokesman in the court at that time, very talented, and his rhetoric was widely circulated among the scholars of Jicheng, and he was known as a "genius". This person is arrogant and arrogant, sharp-tongued, often speaks amazingly, and has repeated admonitions in the court. Because his mouth was too powerful, the people in the court were very cold to him, on the contrary, the students in the Jicheng University Hall liked him very much.

The eldest princess Liu Jing thought that he was too arrogant and overwhelmed, and even Kong Rong, who recommended him, suffered and could only succumb to Lantai. Taifu Cai Yong admires You Heng very much, and this time he got the opportunity to strongly recommend You Heng to serve as the Taishou of Pingyuan County. The eldest princess said that You Heng was from Pingyuan County, and according to the provisions of the law of the Han Dynasty, he could not serve in Pingyuan County. Later, Shang Shu ordered Chen Qun to intercede, saying that You Heng had a thorough understanding of the new policy, especially the policy of land breaking and the heavy assignment of rents to households, and said more than once that this policy was beneficial to the prosperity of the Han Dynasty during the debate in Jicheng University Hall. Chen Qun said that this person can not only be used, but also reused, and with his means, this policy can be promoted and implemented in Pingyuan County. The eldest princess reluctantly approved the appointment of Youheng.

After a little greeting, Li Yi and the officials immediately inquired in detail about the implementation of the new imperial court's policies, the collection of financial endowments, and the living conditions of the people in the past year.

Several officials looked excited, and they all believed that the New Deal had gradually revealed its strong vitality.

Three years after the implementation of the new tax system and its supporting systems, remarkable results have been achieved, with a great increase in taxes in all counties and counties, and a great improvement in the people's livelihood. In particular, several senior officials were full of praise that because of the implementation of the new policy, the officials' income was not only guaranteed, but also increased by a relatively large margin, which greatly improved the governance of Hebei officials.

After the great victory in Jizhou, the people saw the hope of living a good life, and the collection of financial contributions and the conscription were very enthusiastic, and the situation in Jizhou was very stable in all aspects. (To be continued.) )