Three Kingdoms: I help Liu Bei grow thousands of miles

Page 110

Chapter 219 Seeing Motivation from Results

At the end of the Han Dynasty, the world was in turmoil, wars continued throughout the Central Plains, and the population of the states and counties dropped sharply. Because of the remoteness of Jiaozhou and the influx of refugees from all over the Central Plains, the population increased sharply, from 200 million in the Eastern Han Dynasty to The current [-] million.

Before Sun Quan and Liu Bei intervened in Jiaozhou, Lai Gong and Wu Ju only controlled two counties, Yulin and Cangwu, with a population of 60 million. The land and the total population far exceed the three counties of Yulin, Cangwu, and Nanhai.

Among the states and counties controlled by Shijia, Jiaozhi County is the most densely populated and the most prosperous place in Jiaozhou. This county has a population of one million, accounting for half of the total population of Jiaozhou.

The highest mobilization force in an agricultural society can be as high as ten husbands and one soldier. If Shi Xie is militaristic, he can pull out more than [-] soldiers.

No one dared to underestimate such a huge force, and the total strength of Sun Quan or Liu Bei was not [-], so Sun Quan could only adopt a soft policy towards scholars.

The people of Jiaozhou are tough and brave, but they are limited to fighting locally, and the brothers of the Shi family are all older, so they have no ambition to compete in the world.

The brothers of the Shi family occupy a rich land, and they are thousands of miles away from the imperial court. Therefore, the whole Shi family is extremely prestigious in Jiaozhou. , the children of the clan shouted and embraced, and the local foreign ethnic border people, often dozens of people waited beside the road to burn incense and worship.

This kind of life is the best in the world, so whether it is Shi Xie's generation or their nephews, they are like frogs in warm water who do not want to enter the pond again. Even when Shi Wu died in Nanhai County for no reason, the Shi family did not die Too much investigation, and finally attached to Sun Quan tactfully.

But Shi Xie has been a little troubled recently, because the emissary of Lu Fan, the prefect of Xin Cangwu, came to Longbian County.

Whether it was sending troops to Yulin County or providing food and grass support to Lu Meng, Shi Xie didn't want to accept it.

It is my intention to take the initiative to give it away, but now you are still coming to ask for it?

After Shi Xie settled the envoys in the post house, he summoned Jipu prefect Shi Yi, Jiuzhen prefect Huang You, nephew Shi Zhi, Shi Hui, Shi Kuang and other relatives to gather in Longbian prefect's mansion.

"Brother, isn't this Sun Quan not that powerful? It is rumored that the Jiangdong navy is no match for Cao Cao, so why did they lose to Lai Gong?" Shi Huang asked doubtfully.

Shi Yi said with a serious expression: "Your third brother should not be underestimated. Jiangdong's warships are indeed majestic. I have seen them from a distance when Lu Meng was stationed at high command. They should be quite powerful, but they were defeated by Lai Gong for some reason."

"How can you ask us for help if you have combat power? Lai Gong is no match for Wu Ju, and I think Lu Meng is also a waste." Shi Huangyou shook his head.

"Third Uncle, Lai Gong is really strong now, not to mention that Wu Ju was defeated in Bushan, but now Lu Meng has lost a few times in Moon Bay..." Shi Hui explained.

Shi Huang was surprised and said: "This fellow is so powerful?"

Shi Yi asked Shi Xie: "Brother, since we are attached to Sun Quan, although the two requests are difficult, you shouldn't refuse them both? Otherwise, you wouldn't call us to discuss?"

Hepu County, where Shi Yi is located, covers the largest area among his brothers, but has a total population of less than [-]. It is the most backward area among the seven counties in Jiaozhou, and borders Nanhai County to the east and Cangwu County to the north. The pressure is also the greatest, after all, Nanhai County, which is a military force, has learned from the past.

Shi Xie is now seventy-four. In the era of the Three Kingdoms, when the average life expectancy was only [-], he was already considered a long-lived person. At this time, he was still in good spirits, looking at everyone with expectant eyes.

He nodded lightly: "What Hui'er said is true, Lai Gong is not what it used to be, if he can't win against him, there will be endless troubles..."

"Brother, Jiangdong soldiers and horses have even suffered defeats, why should we take risks?" Shi Huang suggested.

Jiuzhen County, where Shi Huang is located, is located in what is now the central part of Vietnam, and is currently the southernmost tip of the Han territory. He does not have the troubles of Shi Yi. He is used to living in fine clothes, so he is unwilling to make enemies.

Shi Xie echoed: "It is definitely unwise to send troops..."

"Brother, let's raise some food and grass." Shi Yi said anxiously.

Shi Xie shook his head, "Hui'er, you should tell the second and third uncles carefully."

Shi Hui nodded to Shi Xie first, then cupped his hands and said, "Originally, my father also wanted to send some food to calm things down. Lai Gong repelled Lu Meng's several attacks with less than 20 people. Now they have been fighting in Yushui for [-] days. Jiangdong It seems that there is no way to take Yulin County, so they dragged us into the water, and..."

"And what?" Shi Yi frowned.

"Fourth Uncle was probably poisoned by Wei Jing..." After Shi Hui finished speaking, he looked at everyone in the hall with astonishment.

"Brother, is this true? But we have no grievances with Sun Quan, why would he do this..." Shi Huang asked in surprise.

Shi Xie nodded, "What kind of grudges do you care about when fighting for the world? You can actually see the motive from the results. Brother Wu died of illness and Wei Jing led the South China Sea prefect. In the land of Linyi County, I am now worried that Jiangdong is an excuse to weaken us..."

Shi Yi swallowed his saliva. Although Shi Wu's death was a mystery, the news came from Hepu County that Wu Ju was about to be drowned by Lu Meng in Gaogao.

Jiangdong used such shameless means to attack the city?At this moment, Shi Yi's forehead and back were dripping with sweat.

"Brother, where did the news about the fourth brother come from?" Shi Yi was still making excuses for himself, hoping that all this was a conspiracy theory, because Shi Wu was indeed weak and sick all the time.

Shi Xie let out a long sigh, "Actually, this matter has something to do with being a brother. If I hadn't donated medicine to Bu Zhi before, I wouldn't have killed Brother Wu..."

Shi Xie told in detail about Shi Wu's offering of Qinghao pills, and after he finished speaking, he was heartbroken and blamed himself very much. If Shi Wu hadn't done this, Shi Wu might not have died.

"Brother, Sun Quan is ambitious. I think even if there is no such thing as donating medicine, they will use means to kill Brother Wu. There are salt fields in Nanhai County and Cangwu County. Who is not tempted by this piece of fat? The green pill has always been The medicine is cured, didn't you find someone to test the medicine in Longbian before? Did the person who tested the medicine die?" Shi Huang asked.

Shi Xie shook his head in pain, "It's strange to say that the farmer is still alive and well..."

Shi Huang was shocked when he heard it, "I think the green pill given by the elder brother is not a problem, maybe those rats in Jiangdong made a move on their own."

"Brother, could it be that Yue people tricked me?" Shi Yi asked.

"It shouldn't be possible. I heard that the leader of the Yue people was the fourth uncle and Wei Jing who tested the medicine, and finally died of illness on the way back to Yu Lin's hometown. The leader of the Yue people's caravan has been replaced by his subordinate Ustin. , and now he is in Longbian..." Shi Hui explained.

The brothers of the Shi family are not stupid people. After Shi Hui explained it in this way, they all understood a little.This is too unscrupulous for the purpose.

Just when everyone in the hall was chilling, Shi Xie said something even more shocking, "I heard that Zhou Yu, the governor of Jiangdong, the general who defeated Cao Cao in Chibi, died of an inexplicable illness the year before last, and it seems that he was also poisoned..."

2 Chapter [-]: Guan Yu's Invitation

"Then Sun Quan is still human? I think the death of the fourth brother has something to do with Jiang Dong." Shi Huang asked incredulously.

"Third Brother, Eldest Brother said it's just a rumor, we can't believe it completely, besides, there are many families in Jiangdong, and it is possible to fight against each other..." Shi Yi analyzed.

"Hmph, the master of high meritorious deeds poisons and kills heroes, traps and kills Wu Ju to take Cang Wu, and plots to occupy the South China Sea. I think these are all the same. Why should we cling to such a villain?" Shi Huang's face sank like water.

"Third brother, be careful." Shi Yi hurriedly dissuaded him.

Shi Huangyou's face became even colder, "The palace is full of people who are close to my family. Could it be that someone here will betray me? I heard that Sun Quan's brothers also died for no apparent reason..."

"Brother..." Shi Yi hesitated to speak.

Shi Xie immediately stretched out his hand to stop him, "I called you here today to unify our thoughts. I have long suspected the death of brother Wu. The so-called groundless rumors may not be without reason. Originally, I wanted to send two ships of grain to Lu Meng. Since the third brother has such a big opinion, Then we have to give up..."

"That's right." Shi Huangyou nodded hastily.

Seeing this, Shi Yi said anxiously: "Brother, if you dare to turn against Jiangdong, you may offend him. My Hepu..."

Shi Yi was very careful and thought Shi Xie was very clear. He smiled and comforted him: "Don't worry, my second brother, how can I let Jiangdong catch up? The weather in Jiaozhou is so hot this year, and the reduction of grain production is inevitable. Let them wait. That's right, another [-] dragon guards will be transferred to Hepu to station, and now Lu Meng's warship has been severely damaged by Lai Gong's containment, so he may not have the energy to provoke our scholars."

"It's good to have this plan to slow down the army..." Shi Yi nodded.

Shi Xie looked at the people in the field and said: "Since Lai Gong has become popular, we should be good friends as neighbors. I don't know who of the juniors can go to Bushan?"

"Father, my son is willing to go." Shi Hui clasped his fists and asked for Ying.

The sons of Shi Xie have not been baptized by the flames of war, so most of them are mediocre people, which complements the family's desire to be idle princes, but the third son, Shi Hui, is relatively interested in power, especially after the elder brother Shi Jian went to Jiangdong as a hostage, He was very active on the saddle.

Shi Xie shook his head, and said earnestly to his second son, Shi Zhi: "It's still Zhi'er's hard work. Lai Gong has changed so much in a short period of time. It's definitely not because of his own shocking changes. It must be because he has found a stronger backer." , You try to express your goodwill during this trip to Bushan, and Sun Quan is not the only choice for our scholars."

"Wei." Shi Zhi got up and cupped his fists to accept the order.

"Brother, you mean that Lai Gong's backer is Liu..." Shi Huangyou seemed to have guessed something.

Shi Xie analyzed together just now, Liu Bei's name is ready to come out, Yulin County is bordered by Jingzhou in the north and Yizhou in the west, Liu Zhang has long been famous for being dark and weak, so the rest is self-evident.

Shi Xie nodded, "When two tigers fight, one of them will be injured. Sooner or later, he and Sun Quan will have a battle. It is beneficial for us to have a friendly relationship."

"Hui'er, prepare a generous gift. We don't send troops to help food, so Jiangdong's envoys will return with a full load." Shi Xie analyzed, stroking his gray beard.

"Wei." Shi Hui responded.

In September of the 16th year of Jian'an, the half-year period Sun Quan gave to Lu Meng had come, but he was still spending time by the Yushui River.

During the two months of confrontation, Lu Meng's troops trained under the scorching sun every day, while Lan Tian asked Sha Moke to build an earthen city in Moon Bay and build permanent fortifications.

The south side of Moon Fort is adjacent to Yushui Great Bend, and a large number of archery towers were built to defend the water army from westward. The archery towers are equipped with specially made huge crossbows, which are sharp weapons for attacking invading ships.

Whether it is the craftsmen who participated in the construction, or the equipment such as the crossbow machine and the catapult, all benefited from the efforts of the craftsmen of the Quanling Army Workshop. The Quanling Academy has gradually been able to serve the war, and the suppression of technology has gradually become prominent. Lantian It is planned to increase investment in Quanling Academy and military workshops, and establish relevant reward mechanisms for craftsmen who have contributed to technological innovation.

Lu Meng watched Moon Fort being built little by little. During this period, he also organized two attacks, but they were easily repelled by Samoko.

You work hard to build it, when Lai Gong's food is exhausted and there is a mutiny, this earthen city was built for us in Jiangdong, Lu Meng can only comfort himself so innocently.

Because of the drought, grain production decreased, and the grain harvests in Cangwu and Nanhai decreased. Shi Xie also used this as an excuse to refuse to borrow grain. Lu Meng had to reduce the daily rations of his soldiers. Lu Fan and Wei Jing could only increase the tax of the common people. Overwhelmed by the burden, many people fled to Guiyang in the north and Hepu in the west.

Compared with Lu Meng's food shortage, the barbarians in Moon Fort were quite satisfied. Not only were the military rations brought in from Lingling sufficient, but Lantian also brought in a group of farm chefs. They are all delicacies that have never been tasted in Shamoco's hometown, so whether it is working or building a city, these barbarians are more active than Han soldiers.

Everyone went south to Jiaozhou for several months, but Gan Ning returned to Quanling early due to physical discomfort.

Because Lantian missed his wife and children, after the completion of the Moon Fort, he wanted to return to Lingling. When he was hesitant about who would stay behind, Lu Lingqi sent someone to send a letter from his family, saying that Guan Yu invited him to Jiangxia for a banquet on the Double Ninth Festival.

Although Guan Yu and Zhang Fei are enemies of thousands of people, they have very different personalities. Zhang Fei has a bold personality, dares to love and hate, and has the courage to speak out about his likes and dislikes, but Guan Yu, like his strict father, cannot express his emotions.

In Lan Tian's memory, this was the first time Guan Yu invited him to a banquet. Did the second master really want to exchange feelings with him, or did he have something important to discuss?

Jiangxia County is adjacent to Chaisang, which is guarded by Lu Su. Could it be that Jiangdong is playing something?Thinking of this, Lan Tian couldn't calm down anymore.

"Boping, what day is it today?" Lan Tian asked.

"The third day of September." Gao Shun replied.

Lan Tian calculated that there were still five days left, and he said to Gao Shun: "I'm going to Jiangxia to meet General Guan soon, you can go back with me to rest for a while, you haven't seen Yuan'er and Ji'er for a long time."

Gao Shun said with a smile, "I don't know if they are tall or not. In fact, Mr. Lu Meng thinks highly of Lu Meng. There are 5000 people left in the Moon Fort. Jiangdong soldiers have left the warships, and they don't have much fighting power at all..."

Lan Tian then called Shamoke and Liang Tai ordered: "General Gao and I are going back to Lingling. Can you keep this Moon Fort?"

"Don't worry, general, if the Jiangdong rats dare to come, we will let them come and go." Liang Tai replied sonorously.

"Me too." Sha Moke felt that Liang Tai's words were good, so he clasped his fists and echoed.

Liang Tai and Gan Ning have been with Lantian for a long time. His body is very adaptable. Gan Ning can't stand the hot and humid climate in Lingnan, but he can persist. Lantian intends to train Liang Tai to cooperate with Lai Gong to defend Yulin County.

Not long after Samoke was recovered, Lan Tian was worried that he missed his hometown, so he asked worriedly: "Is Chief Sha homesick? You have been out for a few months, do you want to go back to Chenyang?"

Shamoke said cheerfully: "The food here is delicious and delicious, and occasionally you can bully the Jiangdong rats. I don't want to go home. I can go wherever the general arranges for me."

Lan Tian nodded, "Don't worry, Lu Meng won't be able to hold on in a few months, and when I return to Quanling, I will hold a banquet to celebrate your achievements."

"Wei." Shamoke (Liang Tai) replied in unison.

Chapter 221 I'm so spoiled

After settling the affairs of Jiaozhou, Lantian took a boat back to Quanling. Before leaving, Ustin gave him a boatload of Lingnan fruits.

After not returning home for several months, Lan Tian found that the defense of Quanling City was stricter, and the patrols on the streets were more intensive.

Lan Tian asked Gao Shun with a puzzled face: "Before I left, I ordered to patrol in the dark as much as possible. Why do I put it on the bright side now? People are somewhat depressed when they see armored and armed soldiers. I really don't want them to live in the under high pressure."

Gao Shun looked puzzled, "Before I left, I instructed Gao Yuan according to my husband's request. How could this guy disobey the general's order? I'll ask him when I get back to the mansion. Maybe there is some special situation."

Lan Tian nodded and walked towards the south of the street. The discipline of the entrapment army is quite strict. Each team and battalion are only responsible for strictly executing orders. No one will know either.

The entire Quanling became tense. This change in defensive style can only be achieved by the city defense general Gao Yuan.

The two returned to the prefect's mansion and found that the patrol in the mansion was more stringent, which made Lan Tian and Gao Shun even more puzzled.

The news of Lan Tian and Gao Shun's return to the prefect's mansion was immediately known to Gao Yuan, who greeted him with a smile.

Gao Shuncai didn't give him a good face, and asked in a cold and deep voice: "Before leaving, sir, he specifically asked, why is Quanling like this? Let the common people mistakenly think that they are facing a big enemy, and it will make them feel panic."

Gao Yuan scratched his head and replied: "Originally, it was done according to the request of the husband, but a few months ago, some villains came to the house, and the prince was almost taken away by the villains. Fortunately, the young lady is very skilled in martial arts..."

"What? A Dou isn't hurt, right?" Lan Tian was shocked when he heard that. In history, Sun Shangxiang tried to take A Dou away, but the situation is completely different now. Not only is she pregnant and cannot leave in Jingzhou, but A Dou was also taken to Quanling by herself. It can be said that there are multiple insurances.

Gao Yuan shook his head, "Your Majesty is not harmed at all. At that time, the gangster mistakenly regarded Second Young Master as His Royal Highness and held Second Young Master as a hostage..."

"Ji'er?"

"Master Ji?"

After hearing this, Lan Tian and Gao Shun hurried to the back house, and Gao Shun's pace was even faster.

Gao Yuan chased after him and shouted: "Second Young Master is fine, he even bit the villain..."

A few people walked quickly to the inner courtyard of the back house. Lan Ji and A Dou were playing beast chess on the stone table, Lan Yuan was playing with wooden toys, and Lu Lingqi and Gan Qian were sitting on the porch eating grapes leisurely.

Lan Tian rushed forward to pick up Lan Ji, and then carefully observed his little son up and down.

Lan Ji is capable of both civil and military skills. He was better than Adou in all aspects, but he couldn't beat Adou in fighting beast chess. He was engrossed in playing chess just now. He used a tiger as bait and almost ate A Dou with a mouse in the river.

At the most critical moment, he was hugged by Lan Tian.

When Lan Ji was about to resist, he found out that it was his father. He was delighted at first and then anxiously said: "Father, I have the advantage in this fight. If you mess up like this, it's time for you to play tricks on me."

Lan Ji's voice was quite loud, and everyone else noticed Lan Tian's appearance. They stood up one after another, jogging in the sun, with joyful smiles on their faces.

"Father……"

"Husband..."

"uncle……"