The valley where the stronghold is located is now a city.

The empire was moving very quickly. Not long after Zhu Bingkun returned, the craftsmen sent over the production lines there one after another, quickly building the stronghold into a fortress.

However, due to the lack of raw materials, several production lines could not be started. The craftsmen organized to explore the mining in the Danan Mountains and set out to develop the mining matters.

In a place where productivity is behind and there is almost no industrial foundation, everything has to start from scratch.

However, Zhu Bingkun was not in a hurry. It would take more than two years to open up the empire. There was enough time for other troops to be stationed.

Time passes, and more and more complete news summary makes Zhu Bingkun understand Yangnan Road more and more.

Another half month passed, and the power and military deployment of the entire Yangnan Road had been controlled by Zhu Bingkun.

And dozens of soldiers were involved in the forces of Yangnan Road.

Yangnan Road is generally divided into two major groups: government and aristocratic families, and the two major groups are almost like me and I have you.

In addition to Yangnandao Daotai and some of its confidants, most of the military and political affairs of Yangnandao are actually controlled by local aristocratic families. Most of the people in the army have aristocratic families, those in the officialdom have aristocratic families, those in business have aristocratic families, those in agriculture, animal husbandry have aristocratic families, and even bandits and bandits are mostly closely related to the aristocratic families.

Even the Taoist platform in Yangnan Road is a member of aristocratic families, but it is not a local family in Yangnan Road, but aristocratic families from other places.

These families have good reputations, but hypocrites who control bandits behind their backs are arrogant and domineering bullies without any scruples. There are only a very small number of two or three families, both in terms of behavior and reputation.

There are also differences and contradictions among these aristocratic families. Some are extremely ambitious and want to take advantage of the chaos in the Sui Dynasty to take a step further, and even look at the lofty throne. However, some think that this move is too dangerous. There is no thousand-year-old court, but there are thousands-year-old aristocratic families who are unwilling to cause trouble.

All kinds of contradictions are mixed together, and it is so messy that even Zhu Bingkun cannot figure it out.

The official name of Yangnan Road belongs to 20,000 troops, of which only 5,000 were directly controlled by the Taotai. The other 15,000 troops were all in the hands of officers from various aristocratic families, and the Taotai could not be dispatched.

In addition, every aristocratic family of all sizes has its own armed forces. At most, it can be thousands, at least hundreds, and only Yangnan Road. The combined armed forces of these aristocratic families are probably no less than 50,000, which is more than twice the official organization.

Not to mention the armed forces of the aristocratic families, they mostly occupy their own territory. The 20,000 troops under the official name, 5,000 troops stationed in Tiannan Prefecture, the capital of Yangnan Road, controlled by the Daotai. Five thousand others were stationed in the military camp near Jiangyang, and five thousand were stationed on the edge of the 100,000 mountains west of Yangnan Road to guard against the barbarians in the 100,000 mountains. The last five thousand were stationed on the banks of the Mingzhou River in the south, which was Mingyang where Zhang Xin took a boat to the south.

"It is not difficult to defeat Yangnan, but the existence of aristocratic families is a major obstacle." Zhu Bingkun said: "One road to Yangnan Road has more than 30 families of all sizes. Except for the three families with good reputation and behavior, the others are all very sinful and there is no need to exist."

He paused and said, "I want to send troops as soon as possible to take down Yangnan. I have few soldiers, even if I am strong, it is not appropriate to divide the troops. First take Jiangyang, occupy Yangnan Road to the east and fight to the east, then recruit soldiers and horses, go south and annex Mingyang. In this way, both roads leading to the outside world from Yangnan Road can be blocked."

"The general wants to plan to general Yangnandao family, and the official will catch them all in one go?" One person couldn't help but say.

Zhu Bingkun nodded: "That's right."

He followed the map and said: "This aristocratic family is the bone and has great say. If the aristocratic family does not block the way out, it will inevitably lead to disasters outside Yangnan. The empire needs a stable outpost, and all hidden dangers in Yangnan Road must be eliminated. Yangnan Road has no soil for the survival of aristocratic families."

"Listen to my order!"

"Here!"

"At midnight tonight, the soldiers will be sent to Jiangyang camp." Zhu Bingkun punched the table with a punch: "Destroy the Sui garrison and go south to Jiangyang before dawn!"

"Get orders!"

...

Jiangyang Camp is located in Yangshawan, fifteen miles east of Jiangyang City. The side general Zhang Zhaohu led 5,000 troops to station him. Yangshawan faces Yangjiang and is backed by Cuiping Mountain. The military camp is built on the shade of Cuiping Mountain, halfway up the mountain. The terrain of the city wall is dangerous and easy to defend but difficult to attack.

Before nightfall, Zhang Zhaohu personally inspected the city. Zhang Zhaohu was not from a noble family. As an ordinary citizen, it was not easy for him to reach this point now.

Zhang Zhaohu was in his early thirties and was in his prime. He was tall and stern, convincing. More than ten years ago, before he could win the title, Zhang Zhaohu left the army. After three years of northern border, he killed all kinds of military achievements with one sword and one shot, but he barely became a general of a hundred people.

Later, he participated in the second and third cross-sea battles. He won many battles in the Sui army, which were generally severely damaged and repeatedly failed. Not only was he unique, but he was also extremely rare. Such achievements are now only a general, leading five thousand people.

The aristocratic family is in power and the army is also seriously infighting. Without a background or aristocratic family, even if the merits are important, it is difficult to be reused.

Zhang Zhaohu was disheartened and rejected the appointment of Northern Xinjiang to perform his duties. He returned to Yangnan Road, the place where he was born and raised, and became a general. He married the daughter of the Mu family and joined the Mu family of the local family.

Five thousand troops garrisoned in Yangshawan were actually controlled by the Mu family.

Zhang Zhaohu joined the Mu family not because the Mu family is the most powerful family in the local area, but because the Mu family is the most reputable family among the local families. It is also one of the three families that Zhu Bingkun knows that the same words and deeds are consistent.

Zhang Zhaohu has his own arrogance. He has a strong martial arts skills and outstanding military strategy. If he cannot convince him, he will definitely not submit.

Since he surrendered to the Mu family, he has built these 5,000 people into elite soldiers. It can be said that the most elite soldiers in the entire Yangnan Road must be these 5,000.

Zhang Zhaohu has been a general of Yangnan Road for more than three years and has never slacked off in three years. Even though Yangnan Road is located on the southwest edge and has not been affected by the general trend for the time being, he has never relaxed. This is a standard soldier and a powerful general.

After the inspection, Zhang Zhaohu returned to the sidelines and dealt with some documents.

There are no documents in the army. As the head of this army, he took everything, even the logistics, and he personally inquired about it.

"The army has had less than half a month of food. I will write it down and send it to the channel platform tomorrow morning to ask for food and salary."

The clerk quickly recorded it.

"A lot of damaged ordnance has been accumulated. I will be sent back to Tiannan for repair tomorrow."

...One by one, Zhang Zhaohu handled it in an orderly manner.

After the processing was completed, Zhang Zhaohu raised a stack of documents and put them in place before he spoke to the clerk.

"The situation is turbulent, and Mingzhou, which is across the river in the south, has become chaotic. It will affect Yangnan at some point." Zhang Zhaohu sighed: "I remember when I joined the army, the world was peaceful and the people lived a happy life. Who would have expected that this would be the case for just ten years."

The clerk was a young scholar. He laughed and said, "The second generation is determined to act alone, and is separated from the world from virtue. In the current situation, the foolish monarch will take half of his responsibility."

Zhang Zhaohu was silent and said after a moment: "The head of the family said he wanted to expand his army earlier, but I don't know if it is correct?"

The secretary said: "I'm afraid it's not possible for the time being. The Taoist side has joined forces with other aristocratic families to suppress it."

Zhang Zhaohu sighed: "This situation is still hindering each other. What can you do when a major event comes?"
Chapter completed!