Night.

Jiaozhou, in the deputy governor's mansion, Zhang Guangzu sat in the study, and on the desk in front of him, there were several military books.

Zhang Guangzu is thirty-five years old, of medium stature, because of his long-term experience in the battlefield, Zhang Guangzu's face is covered with weather, but this only adds a little more heroism and fortitude, adding to the mature charm of many men.

At this moment, Zhang Guangzu was seriously looking at the military book he was holding in one hand, his eyebrows were slightly furrowed, he looked at it for a while, and put down the book in his hand.

Outside the Deputy Governor's Mansion, next to the barracks, because Zhang Guangzu did not bring his wife, there were basically no women in the entire mansion, and all the people who came in and out were soldiers.

At this time, most of the sergeants were resting, and only a few hundred people were on guard around the camp.

In the vice-governor's mansion, there are also several patrolling soldiers patrolling back and forth.

Listening closely, he could still hear their slight footsteps, this time in Jiaozhou, the troops were stationed in Dacheng, and the imaginary plague did not spread to the army, which was a happy event, which made him a little more sure of the battle below.

The kerosene lamp flickered slightly, and the flames flickered so that people were a little dazzled.

Zhang Guangzu stood up, turned out from behind the desk, blew out the kerosene lamp and walked out of the study.

To the north of the room with charcoal heating, the outside air, the cold invades the skin.

Zhang Guangzu stood on the steps, put on his cloak, went down the steps, and came to the courtyard, the weather was cold for the past two days, but the night sky was very clear.

The sky is full of stars, surrounded by a bright moon, sprinkled with moonlight in the sky.

Zhang Guangzu sighed a few breaths in his hand, and moved his arm joints again, and after a creaking sound, the joints that had been sitting for an hour had been moved.

It was in the courtyard that he practiced his fists and feet.

But all soldiers don't know how to punch and kick, and generals like Zhang Guangzu "don't hold a blade, they can still take the head of someone in one or two moves."

After a set of boxing exercises, someone walked in from outside the courtyard and stood waiting for him to close his momentum.

After Zhang Guangzu gathered his momentum, he turned his head to look, and saw that it was an official living in his mansion, standing there with a thick stack of scrolls in his hand.

Seeing him stand, the official walked up a few steps, saluted and said, "My lord, this is the military account book you asked for this month" has been sent by you. "Come in with me." "It's cold outside, he's nothing, the official's body is not as strong as the general, and he will catch a cold after standing for a long time, so he went back to the study.

The officer followed.

"Put it here. "Zhang Guangzu pointed to the case," he said.

There was a hanging handkerchief next to the desk, Zhang Guangzu took off a piece, wiped the sweat on his forehead, turned around and sat down behind the desk, and waved his hand: "You can sit too." "Thank you, sir." The account books were placed on the desk in front of Zhang Guangzu, and the official sat down on the side.

Zhang Guangzu picked up one of the books and "flipped through" the brazier in the corner of the room, and in the brazier, "the sound of coal being burned rattled."

After reading one of the account books, he was silent for a while, and said: "This month, a lot of grain and grass in the army have been spent. ”

"My lord" You also know that in the past month, the training in the army has been doubled, in order to prevent the soldiers from collapsing, they have all suddenly had meat, and the flatbread is enough, and the soldiers have eaten a lot more than usual, which is also expected, and now 200,000 stone has been used. "Yes, the king has ordered that the food of the soldiers must not be discounted, but must be well managed, and a strong army must be trained, so be it." Throwing aside the account book in his hand, Zhang Guangzu said.

So far, the king of Chu has not deducted grain and grass, and Zhang Guangzu is very relieved.

Zhang Guangzu went through other account books one after another, checked them one by one, and immediately asked the officials if they were not clear, and after more than half an hour, these things were dealt with, and the officials left with the account books, Zhang Guangzu sat behind the desk, rubbed his eyebrows, and felt a little tired.

"I hope that this recruit can be trained as soon as possible!", thinking of the 3,000 new recruits in his battalion, Zhang Guangzu sighed lightly in his heart.

However, Zhang Guangzu also knew that no matter how well he trained, he had never been on the battlefield, killed people, or seen blood, and it was impossible for recruits to really become elite soldiers.

Although there are a few cities in Jiaozhou that can be regarded as wealthy, most of the places are very desolate, such an uneven population, it is not so easy to recruit new soldiers, and it is already content to recruit these people.

Looking at the night, it was already time for dinner, Zhang Guangzu also felt a little hungry, and it was almost time for dinner.

He ordered someone to warm some food for himself on the stove and brought it over, and ate it in a hurry here.

"Tell them to go down and bring a bowl of broth to each of the soldiers on patrol to keep them warm. When he was about to rest, Zhang Guangzu instructed the guards on the side and said.

Although he is now the third in command in Jiaozhou, it can be said that he is in Jiaozhou here, with a high position, except for Zhong Wendao and Du Gongzhen, he has the highest official position, but he can treat his soldiers, Zhang Guangzu still treats the tooth soldiers the same as before.

He has followed Ding Huchen to fight in the north and south for many years, and has been in the military camp since he was a teenager, and he has long engraved the style he learned in his bones.

On the battlefield, he did not hesitate to sacrifice his soldiers, but in peacetime, these cannot be consumed at will, this is the capital to establish a life, make meritorious contributions, and seal his wife and son!

People with such an awareness can naturally think about their generals all the time, which is not benevolent, but the quality of a famous general.

After giving the order, Zhang Guangzu returned to the bedroom and began to undress his armor and prepare to rest.

At this time, a soldier suddenly knocked on the door and reported: "My lord, there is an adult from Xiangyang, who has arrived outside the mansion and said that he wants to see you."

Zhang Guangzu said in a voice, listened quietly, and then frowned and said, "From Xiangyang?

"Yes, the gates were already closed, but they showed the token with the hanging basket, so they hung in. ”

Zhang Guangzu put back on half of his armor, stepped out of the door, and asked, "Ask me who is here, and what is the matter?"

The soldier replied: "The villain asked, but the adult only revealed his identity, and refused to talk to the little one." ”

"It's okay for me to see for myself. "If it was the envoy of Xiangyang, he would not talk to a soldier in detail, Zhang Guangzu knew this very well, and he walked out as he spoke.

When they came to the second gate, they saw a dusty man standing, guarded by several soldiers who were watching at him. Seeing him coming, the man arched his hand and said with a smile: "Zhang Dudu, don't come unharmed?"

This person Zhang Guangzu knew, it was a civil official who was also under the account of General Ding Huchen in the past, surnamed Yuan, when Ding Huchen was transferred back, some officials who were also promoted also followed him to Xiangyang, and the atmosphere became relaxed when the two met. They were all acquaintances, and there were no polite words, Zhang Guangzu let this person into the hall, and after the guests and hosts sat down, he asked: "I heard just now that Brother Yuan was ordered to come here from Xiangyang?"

"Exactly, this is a will of the king, it is for you!" Lord Yuan smiled and took out a will from his arms.

"It turns out that it's still a Qincha!" Zhang Guangzu hurriedly got up and saluted Lord Yuan, and Lord Yuan smiled and accepted it, which was a gift on behalf of Wang Hongyi.

After receiving the salute, he sent down his will.

Zhang Guangzu kowtowed again, took it with both hands, and then got up, looked over with some suspicion and asked: "I don't know what this is," "The king's secret decree is a secret decree, let you prepare to abandon it a few days later, and then there is a clear decree, before that, you acted in secret and did not make a noise." ”

"Got it. Zhang Guangzu nodded, and when he was about to tear open the sealed seal, he opened it and looked at it, and his expression suddenly became solemn.

After reading it, he put away the secret decree and put it in his arms, Zhang Guangzu said: "Please ask Brother Yuan to return to the king on your behalf, and Guangzu will definitely do things according to the decree." ”

After speaking, he asked, "Brother Yuan also notified others?"

"Brother Zhang is asking about Zhong Tingshi and Du Dudu, right? They have their own people to go, and they have nothing to do with a certain family. Lord Yuan said with a smile.

The two gossiped a few more words, and Lord Yuan left early tomorrow morning and stayed in the deputy governor's mansion that night.

At the same time, in the Jiaozhou Thorn History Mansion. Zhong Wendao was sitting in the hall, talking to someone, and it was an official who was familiar with Zhong Wendao, who also brought a secret decree. After receiving the will, Zhong Wendao's expression was also solemn.

He immediately said that he would do what he wanted.

Similarly, Du Gongzhen's capital governor's mansion also welcomed distinguished guests.

After sending off the distinguished guests, Du Gongzhen didn't call anyone else, only Du Ran and Zhu Xin.

When the two came, they happened to meet on the road, and they exchanged a few words of greeting on the surface, neither hot nor cold.

Although these two people no longer have conflicts of interest, the feud they formed back then has gradually become a buckle, and it is impossible to completely unravel it, but it is a good result to keep seeing the face without tearing the skin, and to cooperate without stumbling on each other in case of trouble.

"The king has issued a secret decree to let me secretly mobilize the army, ready to set off at any time, and go to Yishan County, do you two have any ideas?" Du Gongzhen sat at the top of the seat, with a faint expression on his face and deep eyes, looking at the two people sitting down, and asked.

Du Gongzhen's nephew Du Ran's eyes lit up: "Could it be that the king has already made up his mind to attack the land of Wu Yue?"

Du Gongzhen said slowly: "The king is young and ambitious, the puppet emperor of the Wu Dynasty usurped the throne, and many times with Chu as an enemy, attacking this place, it is a matter of time, now there is only Wei Yue in the south, although there are heroes in the north, but it is not a problem, but the situation on the grassland is not objective, the king must have noticed it and accelerated the speed...... ，......

When it came to the situation on the other side of the grassland, the hearts of the three people in the hall were a little heavy.

In just half a year, hundreds of tribes scattered across the grasslands took refuge, with the largest number only a few hundred, and the number of many thousands, an increase of more than 40,000 households, so to speak, from 85,000 households to 130,000 households at once.

These three people are not ordinary people, and they are a little worried when they think of the impact of the growth of the grassland power on the Central Plains.

"The king has made up his mind, and he has made up his mind to go south to conquer, which is an opportunity to make meritorious contributions in the new dynasty, and the marshal must make plans early!" Zhu Xin said.

Du Gongzhen said: "You are right, this matter is very important, it is necessary to prepare in advance, make it clear, the army must be pulled out immediately, if the king's affairs are delayed, this is not a trivial matter." ”

In accordance with the instructions of the will, the three began to secretly mobilize the troops in Jiaozhou within a few days.

A few days later, the decree came down. Except for those who stayed behind, the Jiaozhou army began to rise one after another and rushed to Yishan County. ！~！