Gwangju.
The room was pitch dark. Wang Lin groped her way to sit up, put on her clothes, and slowly came to the door.
After opening the door, strong and dazzling light shone into the house.
At the same time, the biting cold wind came in.
In winter, even during the day, candles must be prepared in the house. Otherwise, if the doors and windows are locked and there is no light leakage, the house will look dark and gloomy even on a bright day.
Wang Lin wrapped her clothes around her body and looked up at the sky.
It was already noon and I overslept.
However, Wang Lin is not worried. He can rest in the house for the past few days and has nothing to do.
This mansion was the former governor's wife's natal mansion. It was one of the best mansions in Guangzhou. Liu Taozi rewarded Wang Lin with this mansion in recognition of his contribution in this battle.
However, all the luxurious decorations in the mansion no longer exist at this moment. Only the courtyard wall that cannot be demolished and the houses inside have survived.
Wang Lin's soldiers and subordinates also moved in.
Despite this, the mansion still seemed extremely depressed. The house was too big and there were too few people.
Wang Lin's family members were still in Hebei, and he was unwilling to write to Liu Taozi, requesting that his family members be sent over.
The main reason is that Wang Lin knows that her identity is a bit embarrassing. He is different from those generals. He used to be a prince, and the navy under his command was brought out by him himself. They only obey his orders, and he also has a complete subordinate system.
In the future, when I sit in Guangzhou, if I bring my family here again, the general will trust me, and I am afraid that those in the court will also have objections.
It didn't snow anymore today, and the house was very clean.
Wang Lin wore thicker clothes and sat outside the lobby in the backyard, spreading a seat on the ground to fully enjoy the sunshine.
Even the winter sunshine is quite comfortable.
Just as Wang Lin was enjoying this wonderful moment, a soldier walked in quickly and whispered: "My lord, someone has come to pay homage."
"Oh? Who?"
"The general and the lieutenant broke the Hu."
Wang Lin suddenly realized it, pondered for a moment, and then nodded, "Let him come in."
Wang Lin continued to sit in this rude posture, narrowed her eyes, and continued to enjoy this hard-won comfortable life.
At his age, running back and forth on the front lines with young disciples like Liu Taozi, his old bones are about to fall apart. It is a rare opportunity to rest, but he cannot miss it.
After a while, Wei Pohu walked in cautiously with a smile on his face, holding many things in his arms.
"Prince."
Wei Pohu spoke softly.
Wang Lin opened her eyes and looked at the other party up and down. After a long time, she said, "General Wei came very quickly."
Wei Pohu smiled and nodded. He looked around again and said with emotion: "It is not an exaggeration to say that this house is the first house in Guangzhou. The prince is indeed highly valued by the general!"
"However, this is what the prince deserves. Everyone knows that in this expedition, the prince was the first to make a contribution and be the first to be rewarded."
"I can't be considered to have meritorious service. Shi Wansui, Lou Rui and others have done more meritorious service than me. I just followed the lord and informed some of the enemy's situation."
"You can't say that. The general went on an expedition to the Huaihe River. He was unfamiliar with the local area and didn't know the situation there. It was you who helped him get familiar with the place and explained the enemy's situation. This is the key to victory. I think the prince is the leader.
achievement"
Wang Lin's expression did not change, and she asked coldly: "Why, is General Wei also here for the reward?"
Wei Pohu almost cried.
"Reward?"
"My lord, how can I have the face to say a reward? I just want to survive. I can't see the general, and King Lou doesn't want to see me. I went to find Zu Jue, but he insulted me, saying that I was born stupid.
More than 100,000 lives were lost.”
"Huang Fasu is a famous general. When we first fought, I knew that I could not win, so I returned. Then Lu Qian ignored the general's instructions and insisted on sending troops to recover Dongguan and other places. I also tried to dissuade him, but he didn't listen. I
We could only listen to him and follow him to send troops, but Huang Fazhu was defeated again!"
"I dare not deny that I am at fault, but you can't blame me entirely. As for the soldiers under my command, you have also seen that using them to defeat the Yellow Law is so difficult for even the general, let alone us?"
"I have never made any mistakes in the past, let alone done anything detrimental to the general!"
"I beg the prince to save my life and beg for mercy in front of the general."
Seeing Wei Pohu's pitiful appearance, Wang Lin felt helpless.
"Don't be afraid. Zu Jue has always been so harsh to others. Regarding your matter, the general has told me a few words and he will not kill you."
"It is true that you do not have the ability to lead an army in battle. From now on, don't think too much about it. After the lord gives the order, you can find a peaceful place, whether it is farming or doing business, and live a good life."
Wei Pohu was overjoyed and hurriedly bowed to Wang Lin again and prepared to put down the gift in his hand, but Wang Lin didn't want it.
"Take the things away too, and keep the law."
Wei Pohu scratched his head and said, "Prince, these are not valuable things. They are just a few books given to me by others. They say they are classics, but I can't read them. It is a complete waste to put them here. You can
Take it, I will be a white man from now on anyway, it does not count as collusion with my colleagues, and I will not stay here. If I want to graze cattle in Bingzhou in the future, it does not count as bribing my boss."
Wei Pohu turned around and walked away very quickly, feeling relaxed all over.
Wang Lin had no choice but to take the package and flip through it casually. Sure enough, they were all classic books, and two of them even had annotations.
Wang Lin was quite surprised. She took the book and basked in the sun while reading.
It was dinner time soon, but Wang Lin was not in a hurry to eat. He asked someone to wrap up a few books and then left the mansion.
When you walk out of the house, you will see a dense crowd.
The road was crowded with people, and it was almost impossible for carriages to pass. Not far away was the government office, which had to register the population, allocate land and other matters, and there were many people coming and going.
Gwangju was crowded with people at this time.
I don’t know how Zu Jue did it. He stole the dead from several nearby states and brought them here. Although Guangzhou was a big state and a wealthy place in the past, it was far from as exaggerated as it is now.
At this time, Guangzhou seems to have returned to the ancient times. "Qi came to Linzi with three hundred houses, and his sleeves were stretched like a yin, sweating like rain, shoulder to shoulder, shoulder to shoulder."
Wang Lin's carriage was blocked on the road. Wang Lin looked at these people and felt happy and helpless.
I'm happy that there are so many strong young men, so I won't have to worry about the supply of troops in the future. But I'm helpless because if I continue to block it, I won't be able to make it in time.
In the end, Wang Lin could only use her own identity and no longer conceal it. The subordinate officials opened the way in front, and the carriage was able to pass.
Wang Lin rushed all the way from the middle of the city to the south of the city. The carriage stopped. Wang Lin asked people to take the gifts, got out of the car, and walked to a mansion.
This mansion is much smaller than Wang Lin's, and its location is not in the middle. There are still people on the road, but they are not that exaggerated.
Wang Lin knocked on the door.
After a long time, someone finally opened the door.
This is the residence where Lu Yao temporarily lives.
Wang Lin only waited for a moment before being taken into the courtyard by the concierge.
Compared to the original luxurious mansion, Wang Lin still prefers the current mansion. It is in a remote location and there is no shelter inside. It is absolutely perfect for sunbathing.
Lu Yao walked out quickly. He looked much weaker than Wang Lin, his face was pale, and he looked like he had not recovered from a serious illness.
Wang Lin hurriedly pulled him into the inner room.
The two sat down one after another. Although Lu Yao was from Xianbei, he was not lacking in etiquette. Although Wang Lin was a fierce general, he had also read books and knew etiquette.
The two of them chatted for a while, even though they were not familiar with each other in the past, they wanted to catch up on old times and improve their relationship.
The two talked like this for a while, and then Wang Lin talked about her purpose in a leisurely manner.
"My lord wanted me to stay in Guangzhou and serve as the general of the government, so I told my lord that I wanted Duke Lu to serve as the governor here, but my lord said, you are going to go home to retire. Is this really true?"
Lu Yao was a little frustrated.
"When the temple appointed me as the governor of Qinzhou, now Qinzhou is in our hands and I have failed to fulfill my responsibilities. How can I continue to hold the official position with dignity?"
"It's better to go home early."
"If it is what you say, then I, the governor of Yangzhou and the general of Yangzhou Road, ran out before the enemy arrived and let the entire south fall. I should be punished by death."
Lu Yao had a calm look on his face, "Different people have different views on world affairs, and everyone has their own practices and ambitions. When the prince chose to leave Yangzhou, he should have his own considerations, and he should not judge based on my standards.
"
Wang Lin did not refute.
"What Mr. Lu said makes sense."
"I have seen with my own eyes how much benefit an outstanding governor can bring."
"I think the reason why my lord went all the way to Qinzhou is not only because Lu Gong is his successor, but also because he knows that Lu Gong is a good official, and so many people and officials are willing to follow Lu Gong to leave their hometown. I
I think it’s because they believe in Mr. Lu’s character and know that they can have a good life with Mr. Lu.”
"I want to keep Mr. Lu now for the same reason."
"Zu Jue is a person who always looks at the present rather than looking back when doing things."
"How far has Gwangju grown now? Has Mr. Lu ever gone out to see it?"
"Logically speaking, I was recruited by Zu Jue and I shouldn't speak ill of him. However, this person is really not a gentleman. He only cares about his own political achievements and achievements and ignores other things."
"In the inner city where I live, the roads are completely blocked and no one can walk."
"I have never been to many other cities, but I can imagine what they will be like."
"Gwangju is a big state. I heard that at the end of the Tenpo year, there were nearly 800,000 people in Gwangju."
The most recent chapters being read!
"How many there are now, I don't know, but it must be over a million."
Wang Lin shook her head, "So many people are crowded in Guangzhou. Once the successors are incompetent, it will cause great harm, including food shortages, winter disasters, and epidemics."
Lu Yao listened to Wang Lin's "alarmism" and couldn't help but interrupt him, "Since Liu Zhizhi dared to let Zu Jue do this, he must have made arrangements and would not just watch something like this happen in Guangzhou.
"
Wang Lin looked at Lu Yao, "Yes, my lord has already made arrangements, but unfortunately, the person he wants to arrange for wants to go home to retire."
Lu Yao shook his head, "Why would you, Your Majesty, fool me like this?"
"If the prince has nothing else to do, then I will go back and rest."
Lu Yao was about to stand up to see off the guests, but Wang Lin grabbed his hand and said, "Mr. Lu, when the enemy came to kill us, there were only a few soldiers in the city. Why did Mr. Lu refuse to surrender when he knew he was outnumbered, but resisted desperately?
"
Lu Yao was stunned, frowned, and did not answer.
Wang Lin said seriously: "Mr. Lu has always cared for the people with benevolent government, why did he let so many people die?"
"Wu Mingche treated the soldiers in the city well and never killed or looted. Why did Mr. Lu resist for so long?"
"Is it because you said it yourself, for your own ambitions, and to live up to the emperor?"
Lu Yao still didn't speak.
Wang Lin then said: "I heard from people that when the enemy attacked the city, Lu Gong once told the people around him: The purpose of fighting is to eliminate war."
"If there is no resistance, the Chen people will get the two Huai Rivers without any effort. The war in the future will be more intense and last longer. But if they can hold on to the city, even if they just hold on for a little longer, they will be able to reduce their losses."
Slowing the expansion of the Chen people will help end the war in the world sooner."
"Isn't it the same now?"
"If Gwangju is governed well, wars will be eliminated faster in the future, the world will be pacified, and these hundreds of years of chaos will end sooner."
"Now, you want to give up and go home to retire?"
"If you leave now, wouldn't those people who died in Qinzhou have died in vain?"
"What did they die for? What do you live for?!"
Lu Yao's eyes widened, and anger appeared on his face.
Wang Lin stood up, much taller than Lu Yao. He lowered his head and said solemnly: "I was originally a general from the south. I thought I had destiny a long time ago and could end the war in the world. Later I experienced a disastrous defeat.
, surrender to Da Qi, no longer think about world affairs, just want to save your life."
"Zu Jue came to me before. It was just because I had no way out, so I agreed to him and went to the Northland without any big ambitions."
"But things are different now. I have met the general and followed him to the southern country. If there is anyone who can calm the world's wars, it must be my lord!"
"The strength of my lord is not due to his soldiers or bravery, but to his benevolence!"
"In order to prevent the defeated troops from harming the two Huaihe Rivers, I took them with me. Even though they were repelled by the enemy several times, I never gave up on them. They drilled and reorganized so that the counties along the route were not plundered by the defeated troops."
"While marching along the way, we killed thieves when we encountered them, and appeased good people when we encountered them. We did not harm the people and used the rations we obtained to help those who died along the way!"
"I have now made up my mind. Within five years, I will definitely train an elite fleet of ship soldiers to wipe out the southern kingdom for my lord."
"If Mr. Lu still has the ambitions he had in the past, isn't now the best opportunity?"
"Why abandon the world and ignore it?!"
Lu Yao stood up slowly, and the two looked at each other for a moment.
"There are so many talented people in the land, why is the prince so persistent?"
"The founding of Guangzhou not only involves infantry and cavalry, but also naval forces. It is very difficult to form a naval army. It is very difficult. If you want to complete the training within five years, you must be united and united, and there must be no mistakes. I have been there
Qinzhou, I believe in Mr. Lu’s character. If Mr. Lu can take charge of the government affairs here, I can safely train the army without any worries."
"Besides, I am from a noble family, and Mr. Lu is the head of the general. With Mr. Lu here, I can do more things without being slandered by villains."
Lu Yao let out a long sigh.
"It seems that I can't go back to Yecheng."
"Wouldn't it be better to go back to Qinzhou in the future? I also want to take you to see my hometown. My hometown, Shanyin County in Kuaiji, has beautiful scenery and is full of talented people."
Hefei.
The three generals of the Southern Kingdom were sitting in the official office, but Huang Fazhu was sitting at the top.
Although he declined several times, both generals felt that he was the commander-in-chief and should be given the reins.
The three of them were sitting in the room. They had obviously won the victory and had entered Lianghuai, but their expressions were not very good.
The Northern Expedition was successful. They defeated the Yangzhou Dao army of the puppet Qi Dynasty, successfully repelled Liu Taozi, occupied the two Huaihe Rivers, and expanded their territory. This was a great thing.
This was the first time that Chen State stationed his army in the Huaihe and Huaihe regions, and it was the first time that he targeted the Central Plains.
However, if we really want to talk about it, this war that lasted for nine months cost the Chen people a very heavy price. They were injured and broken, the treasury was empty, and the general died tragically.
The emperor was very happy. With the two Huai Rivers in hand, Chen Guo could finally compete with those two powerful enemies.
But before the excitement passed, they learned a very bad news.
Duan Shao took the Emperor of Qi to Heluo, and had already made several surrounding states and counties surrender to them.
Zhou people once vowed that they could divide the peach among three families.
But looking at the subsequent development, Duan Shao doesn't really want to share the peach with others. He wants to eat it himself.
Duan Shao has already started sending people to inquire about the situation here.
Huang Fasu said with a straight face and bitter words, "Many of the broken troops we let go are now returning to the Central Plains in batches. Duan Shao sent six generals to receive these broken troops and issued a proclamation saying that they would recapture the Huaihe River."
Just after repelling Liu Taozi, Duan Shao came to the line.
The mentality of Chen Guo's three generals was somewhat affected.
Xu Du looked at the other two people and said, "There's no need to worry so much."
"We have made an alliance with the Zhou people. Duan Shao did not dare to move the army away from Heluo. The Zhou people are very concerned about Heluo."
“But can the Zhou people still send troops now??”
Huang Fazhu asked directly: "The Zhou people were defeated previously, and the loss of national power was more serious than ours. Even if Duan Shao took away all the troops in Jin Yong City, would the Zhou people still have the food, grass, and troops to launch a war?"
"Duan Shao also brought out the Baobao camp. Compared with the mandrill, Baibao is only stronger. If he follows Liu Taozi's example and starts harassing and attacking us, what should we do?"
Chun Yuliang squinted his eyes and shook his head gently.
"It's not that easy. Duan Shao should take back the Central Plains first and then talk about the Lianghuai issue."
"There can be no further delay and we will withdraw it in batches."
"I'll stay and guard."
"If Duan Shao really comes, I dare not say that I can defeat him, but I will never let him succeed."
ps: I went to visit a friend in the afternoon and will make up the second update tomorrow.
Chapter completed!