Chapter 250: Sending Troops Across the Line
"Yes, that's what I mean. It also says here that the city lord will soon assign two soldiers to each of our villages to organize patrols, defense, teaching, and other tasks. Please ask the village chiefs to organize all villagers, regardless of gender, age, or status, to participate in training, so that they can protect themselves if refugees invade the village in the future. This means that if refugees do enter the country, we must be able to protect ourselves!"
"If you encounter danger, don't panic. Please ask the village head to organize the villagers to evacuate in an orderly manner and protect the safety of the villagers and themselves. We also ask neighboring villages and towns to help each other and overcome the difficulties together. We will do our best to provide all necessary supplies, money, food, manpower, etc. If you cannot resist, don't force it. The first priority is to protect your own safety. You can also retreat to Jinzhou Prefecture, which is heavily guarded and can withstand tens of thousands of refugees. Please, the people of Jinzhou Prefecture and Qianzhou Prefecture, help each other during this critical period and watch over our homes together!"
The propagandist was very emotional when he read to the end and was quite moved.
The people in the village remained silent.
"What do you mean? It still sounds like a war to me."
"Yeah, it feels like those King Li and King Zhoushan are going to attack us and steal our food!"
"That shouldn't be the case. Our Fanjia Village is located in the center of Jinzhou Prefecture. If a war really breaks out, it won't be our turn. The place Xiaohua was assigned to is close to Xingyuan Prefecture, but the city lord wouldn't attack Xingyuan Prefecture right now, right?"
"We can't guess what the city lord is thinking!"
"But didn't the higher-ups say everyone should be trained and patrols strengthened? What? Women have to train too?"
"Why aren't they training? It says clearly above that everyone, young or old, men and women, must train! I'm afraid everyone present, except for those crawling on the ground, must train!"
"That's right. If the bandits really come, will they not kill or rob you just because you're a woman? Ugh, these starving bastards specifically target women and children! I think this is a good idea. We should get the women to practice! If a fight really breaks out, the men will protect the food and the women will protect the children. No one will hold anyone back!"
"That's true, but everything else remains the same, just be extra vigilant. Don't worry, Aunt Zhang, we can't win this war! I guess the city lord means that we should practice first and be on guard."
Aunt Zhang patted her chest and said, "I was so scared! I thought there was going to be a war!"
Fan Xiaoniu said, "Oh, war is inevitable! Didn't you hear what Teacher Liu said? Our Jinzhou Prefecture is being attacked from both sides by the Li Kings and the Zhoushan King. Sooner or later, they will attack us! I think we should start training now. I will be the female general--"
Fan Xiaoniu was hit hard on the back of the head by Village Chief Fan, who then made a concluding statement: "Alright, I understand. It means there might be a war, and we need to prepare in advance. Just do as the city lord said and intensify drills and patrols. From now on, we will form groups of five and go for a walk around the nearby mountains whenever we have time. Report any developments immediately!"
After the villagers dispersed, Village Chief Fan approached and said to the First Village Chief and the propagandist, "Is the City Lord going to attack Xingyuan Prefecture?"
The first village chief hesitated and refused to say anything.
Village Chief Fan laughed and said, "Okay, old man, I have a daughter-in-law who is an official. She is well-informed!"
After saying this, he became a little worried again, "I don't know if the city lord can successfully capture Xingyuan Prefecture. Xingyuan Prefecture is in a good location. If he captures it, I'm afraid my Xiaohua will be promoted to the next level."
These words made the two young men dare not respond.
But when they thought about the village Pang Xiaohua went to, which was the closest village to Xingyuan Prefecture, they would be the first to suffer if there was any disturbance.
Thinking of this, Village Chief Fan became worried again.
Even though it was deep in the night, the Jinzhou government office was still brightly lit.
Ten days ago, after Xu Zhenying signed the document declaring the entire Jinzhou and Qianzhou to be in a state of war, he urgently summoned almost all the old members of the Xu family's political team to return to Jinzhou. At the same time, he gathered the troops, counted the military equipment, and prepared food and grass, and moved together.
Such a commotion naturally caused a stir in Jinzhou Prefecture.
Many people have smelled the scent of expanding territory, and are all ready to go, especially the new recruits led by Dazhuang. They have been training hard these past few days, waiting to show their true skills on the battlefield.
Expanding territory means military merit.
At the same time, the staffing of Jin and Qian states can be further relaxed.
To what extent would Xu Zhenying expand his territory? Those who were interested could easily discover that although Xu Zhenying had the fewest men under his command, they were far inferior to the two rebels next door who had hundreds of thousands of men.
But the people under her command are all talented in both literature and martial arts, and one is worth ten. Not to mention that Jinzhou Prefecture has a strict conscription system, and those who can serve as soldiers are selected again and again, and they are the best of the best!
Those two rebels had a large number of men under their command, but most of them were refugees!
Just a huge mob!
If a fight really breaks out, it’s not certain who will win!
If Xu Zhenying wins this battle, it means that they will soon occupy nearly a quarter of the land of the Zhou Dynasty and become a veritable local lord!
Therefore, countless people are looking forward to it, and some are keeping an eye on the movements in the government office all the time.
But Xu Zhenying never gave in, and no one knew Xu Zhenying's plan until now. Everyone could only fall into a long period of silent waiting.
Almost everyone was present in the government office.
Xu Zhenying announced publicly that he would personally lead the army to attack Xingyuan Prefecture!
At the same time, it was announced that Qian Zhenniang was appointed as the temporary city lord, in charge of all affairs in the city.
Not only the Xu family, but even Qian Zhenniang was shocked by this appointment.
Although everyone had some guesses, the only thing they didn't expect was that Xu Zhenying would choose to lead the army in person!
Xu Zhenying held up the research institute's newly drawn southwest map and pointed at the sand table, saying, "If you hesitate, you'll suffer the consequences! If you don't take it now, it will fall into the hands of the King of Zhoushan. A fight will be inevitable then. Xingyuan Prefecture boasts a unique location; it's the political and economic center of the Great Zhou Dynasty. We must seize this place."
"This time I will personally lead the troops. Our 20,000 troops will advance in five groups. The first group will be led by me, Xu Zhenying, the vanguard general; the second group will be led by Ming Xiaoshuang; the third group will be led by Xu Huijia; the fourth group will be led by Zhang Qiuchan; and the fifth group will be led by Liu Dazhuang. One group will follow me to capture the frontal towns of Xingyuan Prefecture, and the others will advance in a longitudinal direction to capture the county towns along the way. Fang Xun, you will lead 500 people to finish off the rear and penetrate into the various county towns and townships. Once we capture a city in the front, you will be responsible for pacifying the people in the rear. At the same time, you will quickly insert our troops into key positions, carry out propaganda work, and ensure that the land and grain distribution is in place. We will minimize casualties and make the people truly our people!"
Everyone's blood boiled after hearing this!
"Send a copy of today's meeting minutes to Xu Yinxi. Have her and Jiang Yongkang immediately gather their forces and work with the brothers from Qianzhou to establish a defense line. Meanwhile, Lu Fei, take 3,000 men and set up camp in Sanping County, on the western border of Jinzhou Prefecture!"
Lu Fei was no longer a fool, and immediately asked, "Is the city lord worried that the Li Kings, the Li Kings, and the Zhoushan King will take advantage of our attack on Xingyuan Prefecture and invade?"
"It's not worry, it's certainty!"
Hu Wei immediately followed up, "They're almost entirely refugees, and their food supply is low. Winter is almost here, and the same tragedy as last year will surely repeat itself. Our Jinzhou Prefecture is a hot commodity, and everyone wants a piece of it. If they knew we were sending out all our forces to attack Xingyuan Prefecture, they'd definitely seize the opportunity!"
Xu Zhenying was satisfied, thinking that this year's universal education had cultivated some people with quick thinking.
Fang Xun also said, "That's right. We only have a total of 40,000 to 50,000 troops, while one family claims 200,000, the other 150,000. They are all eyeing our Jinzhou Prefecture covetously. This summer, many refugees have already poured into Jinzhou Prefecture's Bianjing. In the cold winter, I'm afraid the number of people coming will be even greater! By then, they will have the majority, and who knows if they will take over our position? We have to be on guard!"
Lu Fei immediately clasped his fists and said, "Don't worry, City Lord. As long as I, Lu Fei, am at the border, I will never let the thieves take advantage of the situation and sneak in!"
"The rest of you, fully cooperate with this attack on Xingyuan Prefecture! Pass down the military order and set off tomorrow!"
Everyone dispersed in a hurry.
However, everyone in the Xu family had different thoughts. Although they had long expected that Xu Zhenying would one day not be satisfied with these two prefectures, when that day finally came, everyone was still extremely excited.
Unlike the others who were eager to try, Xu Degui looked worried. "Qingying, have you really decided?"
Xu Zhenying looked at Xu Degui with a smile: "Father, military orders are as heavy as a mountain. Even I have to obey them."
Xu Degui was speechless.
It seemed as if he had finally accepted his fate that his daughter was really going to pursue the supreme position in the world.
"All the food and supplies should be handed over to father."
Xu Degui nodded, "Don't worry, I will definitely not hold you back."
After meeting Xu Degui, Xu Zhenying saw Qian Zhenniang still waiting on the side.
Qian Zhenniang looked a little panicked. Knowing that this matter was of great importance, she was still a little unsure whether Xu Zhenying would just hand over the entire rear area to her.
How could she have deserved this?
I've only been a secretary for a few months, and now I'm being forced to become the temporary city lord?
Qian Zhenniang was in a complicated mood at this moment, thinking that she had been carefully making a living under her uncle and aunt last year, but in the blink of an eye she had become the leader of the rebels.
She just felt shortness of breath, and Xu Zhenying handed over such a huge family business to her, and she was afraid that she could not bear this heavy responsibility.
She felt that she needed Feng'er and Yinxi by her side at this moment.
Xu Zhenying hadn't seen Qian Zhenniang so nervous in a long time, so he smiled and patted her shoulder. "Zhenniang, I believe you can protect our home. You should also trust me. Since I'm hiring you, it proves that you are the best choice at the moment. If you really lose Jinzhou Prefecture, it's my fault for hiring people, not yours. Just do your best!"
Qian Zhenniang's eyes were slightly red at this moment, and her hands were clenched into fists. She seemed to have infinite courage in her heart: "City Lord, I am here, Jinzhou Prefecture is here, I will definitely protect our home!"
"Good girl!" Xu Zhenying praised, but then he still felt a little worried. "Although the battlefield in Xingyuan Prefecture is not far from here, we still can't respond in time if something happens. Remember, the people of Jinzhou Prefecture must live their lives as usual. It's best if our battlefront doesn't affect economic development. Secondly, be fully prepared. As I said, our Jinzhou Prefecture is now under attack from all sides. There's no guarantee that the Li Kings and Zhoushan Kings on both sides won't take advantage of the opportunity to attack. Oh, and remember to write a letter to Xu Yinxi, telling her to be careful about the Qianzhou chieftain's rebellion."
Qian Zhenniang took note, then looked around and saw no sign of Zhou Houfang before asking, "City Lord, should I use Zhou Houfang or not? If so, how should I use her? I'm sure you know she's not 100% loyal to us."
"It's okay. She's a capable person. But she's a little concerned about her reputation. We need to control her father, assign more people to secretly guard the Zhou Mansion, and forbid her from accessing military power. If she dares to have any other thoughts at this critical moment, there's no need to spare her life. I'll give you four words: use her while keeping her on guard."
Qian Zhenniang savored it carefully, and only blamed herself for being lazy and not giving her 100% effort, which made her so flustered at the critical moment.
Xu Zhenying said, "Don't be nervous. You've done well enough. I leave my back to you. If anyone in the city dares to cause trouble while I'm away, no matter who they are, they will be dealt with severely, even if they are from the Xu family! Zhenniang, nothing is higher than our dreams!"
At this point, Qian Zhenniang already understood the scale of the matter and immediately assured, "City Lord, I understand. You can go without worry. I will definitely guard the rear."
Before Xu Zhenying boarded the carriage, he remembered something and beckoned An Peilin to come closer: "A great battle is imminent. I don't need any protection here. Only Xuesong will be my personal guard."
An Peilin frowned, but heard Xu Zhenying continue, "I have other plans for you. Take a few other guards with you, and secretly select a few capable people from the army. Disguise them as refugees and split into two groups. One group will go to the Zhoushan King, and the other group will go to the Li Kings. Then they will act as our internal support, and we will act accordingly."
An Peilin's heart moved.
Although Xu Zhenying's position as a personal guard made him a close minister to the emperor, it was difficult for him to achieve military merit. Now that Xu Zhenying was recruiting people and wanted to promote him, he was hesitant.
"Don't hesitate, just follow orders."
An Peilin gave a standard military salute, "Yes, sir!"
There were people coming and going in front of the government office. With Xu Zhenying's order, the entire Jinzhou Prefecture would probably know that they were going to attack Xingyuan Prefecture tonight.
There were people constantly coming in and out of the government office, it was a busy scene, and I was afraid the lights would burn all night.
Qian Zhenniang had just finished organizing the meeting minutes and ordered someone to send them to Xu Yinxi in Qianzhou overnight. As soon as she came out, she ran into Xu Huijia who was recruiting troops.
The night wind blew, the lights swayed, and the two people's eyes met in the cold air.
Qian Zhenniang wanted to leave, but was stopped by Xu Huijia.
After a year of training, Xu Huijia has changed a lot. He is more stable and sharper than before, and has begun to show some of the sharp edges of a soldier.
Qian Zhenniang raised her eyes, her smile as polite as ever, "General Xu, what's the matter?"
In the autumn night sky, there is the fragrance of osmanthus, very faint, just like the scent of the woman.
Xu Huijia stared at Qian Zhenniang for a long time before she smiled faintly. "It's okay, I just wanted to say goodbye to you."
Qian Zhenniang didn't understand what he meant.
Since the unpleasant breakup of their engagement last year, the two of them have hardly met in private, and apart from business matters, they have no other communication.
Moreover, Xu Huijia used to avoid her as if she were a ferocious beast, which made her somewhat sad.
Even though two people become strangers after breaking off the engagement, there's no need to treat her like a plague, right?
Qian Zhenniang was somewhat distressed in the past.
But after following Xu Zhenying for so long, all I see every day are government documents, and my mind is always thinking about the development of people's livelihood. All those little thoughts have been washed away by time without me noticing.
She had long been able to face Xu Huijia calmly.
Qian Zhenniang felt a little awkward at the moment, so she could only say symbolically, "I wish you a successful start and a great victory."
After saying that, he turned around and was about to leave, but he heard that person's voice from behind.
"Qian Zhenniang, I've let you down in the past. Back then, I was naive and ignorant of love, worldly matters, and I never even considered your perspective. Everything that has happened is my fault. I don't know how long this journey will take, and I don't know if I'll even be able to return alive. I only hope you can forgive my previous misdeeds, and that this will fulfill my last wish before I leave."
Qian Zhenniang was stunned for a moment. The night wind gently lifted the strands of hair on her forehead. The woman's eyes seemed to waver for a moment, but then became firm again.
"Xu Huijia, thank you for speaking to me. But now, I stand taller and see farther. All the hurts I've experienced have become my armor today. I will have a broader world, and so will you."
Xu Huijia looked at her with some obsession.
The girl's eyes were big and beautiful. They had always been timid and uneasy before, but now, after being tempered, they were extraordinarily bright.
He also smiled and said, "Yes, we will all have a brighter future."
The two smiled at each other, Qian Zhenniang nodded slightly as a farewell, and then turned around.
Zhou Houfang, who was waiting on the side, looked at her hesitantly, and it was obvious that she was very curious, but she never asked.
Qian Zhenniang tilted her head and smiled slightly, "Secretary Zhou, you don't have to guess, Xu Huijia is my ex-fiancé."
Zhou Houfang's eyelids twitched.
Were Xu Huijia and Qian Zhenniang once an engaged couple?
"I'm curious why no one mentions this. That's because he and I broke off our engagement a long time ago."
Zhou Houfang hesitated for a moment, "Why do you want to cancel the engagement?"
Qian Zhenniang pondered for a moment, then curled her lips into a smile and said faintly, "Because our values are different."
Incompatible views?
What?
Zhou Houfang didn't quite understand what was said, but it didn't stop her from being moved at all.
It seems that all the girls around Xu Zhenying have tempers. Even someone as powerful as Qian Zhenniang dares to break off the engagement with Xu Zhenying's eldest cousin.
Zhou Houfang had an idea in his mind.
If one day she could sit in Qian Zhenniang's position and sit there firmly, would it mean that she could also divorce her husband like a man?
In fact, all men are the same, and divorcing a husband is very troublesome.
Wouldn't it be better to just marry someone and let him take care of the household while you take care of the outside world?
As long as she firmly grasps the power given by Xu Zhenying, she will be able to control her husband——
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