Ten. Winter
21. Inspection
The winter in Huanzhou is colder than Zhao Ze imagined. The scenery when it snows is very spectacular. Standing at the head of the city, it is simply a magnificent mountain and river with thousands of miles of ice and snow.
The white snow fell into the front and back of thousands of houses.
The forest is quiet, and the crystal lake shines brightly in the sun.
The undulating mountains turned into a veritable snowy mountain.
The tall city, the strong fortress, and the ubiquitous camp lie quietly in the ice and snow, which looks so heroic and eclectic. It would be even more wonderful if it was decorated with hundreds of flower girls dancing swords in the snow.
At this time, Shangguan Mei was already pregnant. Zhao Ze asked her to rest in Tongyuan City and did not take her out.
This time, Zhao Ze came to inspect the newly repaired and expanded Fort of Guide.
It was captured by the Xixia army before, and then recovered, and the damage was quite serious.
A year ago, Zhao Ze ordered Chao Fang to take a battalion of people to stay here, repairing and expanding the damaged walls, barracks and other places.
Now that the great work has been completed, Zhao Ze ordered Yang Wenguang, Zhe Xiaolan and Guo Mishan to take over Chao Fang to lead the troops to guard.
From now on, the solid Fort of Guide echoes the Qingping Pass in the west and the Papaya Fort in the east to form the first line of defense in Huanzhou.
Zhao Zetsema stopped in front of Guideburg and watched for a long time. He was quite excited.
After a long time, he jumped off his horse and ran to Guideburg in the snow. Yang Wenguang accompanied him step by step by step, followed by the smiling He Lin, Di Ning, Ouyang Chun and Xu Zhu.
After three quarters of an hour, Zhao Ze walked around the huge Fort of Guide and carefully checked the construction of the city wall.
Yang Wenguang also asked worriedly, "Your Excellency, do you think this Guideburg repair is not bad?"
"Not bad, very good" Zhao Ze nodded and praised, "but"
"Are there any shortcomings?" Yang Wenguang asked in a hurry.
Zhao Ze patted Yang Wenguang on the shoulder and told him: "The so-called deficiency is that there is no deficiency"
Yang Wenguang took a long breath and said to himself that when Guideburg was repaired, I don't know how hard it was. Adults also know that if there are any shortcomings, I really don't know what to do.
"However, Wenguang, you should remember that there is no unbreakable city in the world. Don't rely too much on castles."
"Well, what adults mean"
Zhao Ze smiled and said, "Wenguang, look, Guidebao faces Qinggang Gorge, and the opposite is the territory of the Xixia people. If they want to call, they will rush into Huanzhou at any time. In addition, there are two flat waterways, Guidechuan and Baimachuan for Xixia's walkers to pass through. Although it is winter now, you can't be careless. Who If you know what the Xixia people are thinking, you'd better be careful and closely monitor the movement of the Xixia garrison opposite Hengshan."
Yang Wenguang nodded and hugged his fist and said, "Your Excellency, don't worry, as long as I, Yang Wenguang, will not lose it in Guideburg"
"Okay, that's good. Guideburg is well built. There are two walls inside and outside. The urn is also very strong, and the position of the earth cannons in the gate building is also very good. As long as we survive this winter, I believe we will make a difference next year!"
"Yes, my lord!"
After Zhao Ze left Guidebao, he went to Qingping Pass on the west bank of the White Horse River without stopping. There was a family army stationed here. The leader was Feng Dazhong, who was He Lin's brothers. With He Lin's recommendation, Feng Dazhong also respected Zhao Ze a lot.
Zhao Ze first said a few polite words, and then stood on the stage of the military camp. In fact, it was a wooden platform with no special decoration. He talked to the seed army of Qingpingguan and told everyone that Yan Han can't defeat us. Xixia's big The army is not our opponent, because Huanzhou has a family army on Weizhen Shaanxi Road, and I, Zhao Ze and all the brothers who have sacrificed their lives. Why are we soldiers? To put it bluntly, it is to fight for breath, support the family, and protect the country. Now that the enemy is the enemy, the soldiers and civilians of Huanzhou should be more united. As long as we are united, I can guarantee that Huanzhou will always be unbreakable.
Although the later events proved that Zhao Ze was bragging, it was a strategic transfer, and Huanzhou was not broken.
In the next few days, Zhao Ze visited Baqiru, the old patriarch of the Mingzhu tribe, the party branch near Papaya Fort, and the leader of the Qiang cattle family in Huluquan. Then, it went down from Henan to Maling Town.
I personally went to the two big tribes of Mizang and Konu, who lived in the lower reaches of the Xian River, and met the chiefs there.
Because of the lesson of the Pearl Department, the chiefs of the two major tribes of Mizang and Connu did not dare to make trouble. They respectfully accepted Zhao Ze's gift and promised to make up with the two families from now on and protect the Song Dynasty.
Before New Year's Eve, Zhao Ze sent a lot of gifts.
Among them, the trip to the Pearl Department was the most dangerous, because Zhao Ze captured the Pearl leader Ata, Xue Haishan, and many barbarian soldiers. There are still many people in the Mingzhu tribe who are hostile to Zhao Ze, but Zhao Ze wears casual clothes for this trip. Baihua, Ouyangchun, Xu Zhu, Di Ning, Lu Jun and others are not a problem with safety. Another point is that Baihua has been admitted to Zhao Ze's house. She will not easily betray her husband unless Zhao Ze is too hostile to others.
Zhao Ze's conversation with Bajiru, the elder patriarch of the Pearl Department, was of far-reaching significance, and everyone present heard it.
In a huge tree house,
Bakiru said, "Now Lord Zhao has become the son-in-law of our pearl department. I don't know when I will let go of King Ata, Xue Haishan and others."
Zhao Ze replied, "I won't release it for the time being. When I finish cleaning up Xixia, I will naturally release it."
Bakiru smiled strangely and asked, "Can the Song army fight against Hengshan? The Xixia army over there is not easy to mess with. Thousands of troops are all over the mountains, and there are people everywhere. Can you fight?"
Zhao Ze confidently told Bajilu: "Old patriarch, Song and Xixia are the relationship between water and fire. If I don't extinguish it, it will be extinguished. It's just a matter of time. It won't take long."
Bakiru puffed up his old cheeks and said, "Even if Xixia is destroyed, how do you rule there?"
"Immigrate, migrate the landless people in the Central Plains to live in the past, and then send troops to station. There are more than tens of millions of landless people in the Song Dynasty."
"However, in a few years, or more than ten years, will those who have migrated to the past betray the Song Dynasty? Can you guarantee it?"
"That's beyond my control. I just need to do my own things in my lifetime, so that the people can live and work in peace and contentment will no longer be invaded by others."
Bakiru suddenly looked up to the sky and laughed, and the laughter was permeated: "The ambition is not small, but it is really valuable to expand the territory in the name of the people. I wish you success!"
"Thank you, thank you, old patriarch!"
"Take good care of my family, otherwise I won't let you go."
"What did the old patriarch say? Am I such an ungrateful person?"
At this time, Baihua came over shyly and took the old patriarch Bakiru's hand and said, "Mother-in-law, look at what you said. I'm doing well. Lord Zhao takes care of me very well, and the Han people's house is much more spacious than ours. I want to have a bunch of children for him!"
Bakiru nodded and raised his hand: "Leave the Pearl Department. I don't want to see you anymore."
Baihua reluctantly left the Pearl Department that gave birth to her and raised her again, and followed Zhao Ze on the road back to Tongyuan.