Chapter 547 Our Allies
Pingzhou, Liaoxi County, Jinxian Wharf
After three days, Pingzhou sent out troops on time.
The Cao Gang's large ships are docked at the pier, ready to set sail at any time.
This time, the lumberjacks from Pingzhou set out together with the soldiers going to the East China Sea.
Yue Shu was gathering his troops with his young generals.
Jiang Boya strolled along the dock and looked at the large ships. He thought to himself that the relationship between Pingzhou and the Cao Gang was really unusual.
Just then, Jiang Boya saw Lin Shan getting off the boat, so he walked over.
"Deputy Gang Leader Lin."
"Sima Jiang."
"Are we leaving soon?"
"Yes."
Jiang Boya exchanged a few pleasantries with Lin Shan, and couldn't help but jokingly said, "Deputy Gang Leader Lin and Governor Lu have a good relationship."
"It's okay, it's okay." Lin Shan laughed.
"I've seen that the Cao Gang and Pingzhou have always been cooperating. They were even willing to help with major events like Pingzhou's expedition. This doesn't seem like they're doing well."
Lin Shan spread his hands and said, "There's nothing I can do. Pingzhou gave me too much."
Jiang Boya understood that the price offered by Pingzhou must make Lin Shan extremely satisfied.
Lu Songli was willing to pay two million taels of silver to ask them to help transport food, soldiers and craftsmen, and Lin Shan could not refuse.
Two million taels of silver, in the past, was almost their annual revenue.
Lu Songli only requested that Pingzhou have priority in using ships within three months.
However, these are business secrets, so there is no need to tell outsiders.
At this time, a young general came over and asked Lin Shan to leave. "Deputy Chief Lin, our General Yue wants to see you."
Lin Shan and Jiang Boya excused themselves and followed the young general.
Jiang Boya looked over and found that Lin Shan was talking to a tall and strong man wearing helmet and armor.
He grabbed a passing young general, pointed at the tall and strong man and asked, "Who is that general? He is so handsome."
The young general took a look and said proudly, "He is our General Yue Shuyue."
"Can you tell me about your General Yue?"
"Of course. Speaking of which, General Yue is from your southern land."
"He is from our Southland?" Jiang Boya was surprised.
"Why would I lie to you? Three years ago, there was a flood in the south, and General Yue's family suffered. They couldn't survive in the south, so they came to Pingzhou."
Jiang Boya felt as if an arrow had hit his chest.
Jiang Boya looked around and asked, "How many troops does Pingzhou plan to send?"
"This is confidential." The young general replied in a serious tone.
Jiang Boya: ...
Are the Pingzhou generals being too defensive? They're allies after all. They're not even willing to reveal the number of troops they're sending?
At this time, Yue Shu and Lin Shan happened to be walking towards Jiang Boya and heard what they said.
Yue Shu took over the conversation, "Don't worry, Commander Jiang. What you've seen so far is only a portion of the soldiers heading to the East China Sea. This time, our Pingzhou soldiers will depart from the three docks of Linyu, Jinxian, and Anshi, and will reunite at sea."
Jiang Boya nodded.
In Pingzhou's battle plan, Qin Zhao, Yue Shu, and Guo Chong each led a team of troops to board ships at the three docks of Linyu, Jinxian, and Anshi respectively.
Qin Zhao and Guo Chong were each responsible for escorting half of the food and fodder, while Yue Shu was responsible for escorting the lumberjacks.
Qin Sheng had already led two thousand Jintai troops as the vanguard, carrying half a month's rations, and boarded a ship at Anshi Wharf last night to set off first.
At this time, Jiang Boya guessed in his heart that the soldiers from Pingzhou boarded the ships at three docks respectively, and the general here in Jin County was Yue Shu, so did Pingzhou send out three generals?
He stared at all the soldiers and woodcutters waiting to board the ship and roughly estimated the number of soldiers.
If a general leads five or six thousand soldiers, then Pingzhou has dispatched 20,000 troops?
When he estimated this number, Jiang Boya frowned.
Pingzhou has never disclosed to the outside world how many troops it has, and the outside world is all speculating about how many troops Pingzhou currently has.
He knew that the Pingzhou soldiers were very capable, but wasn't it too few for Pingzhou to send only 20,000 soldiers to the East China Sea?
But Jiang Boya was not worried. If these 20,000 soldiers were trapped in the East China Sea, wouldn't Pingzhou send more troops?
While Jiang Boya was immersed in his own thoughts, Yue Shu and Lin Shan discussed and solved two small problems.
"If you have no problem, come aboard."
…
Thousands of miles away at sea, Steward Bi was strolling around. He had a good impression of the Pingzhou soldiers. Firstly, Qin Sheng and the others had interacted with them before, and secondly, it was Steward Bi's opinion. Steward Bi was a veteran of the Cao Gang, and in his opinion, those who took care of their Cao Gang's business were all good people.
In the past two or three years, the cooperation between their Cao Gang and Pingzhou has been very pleasant.
Manager Bi saw Zhu Dazhuang and others on the deck, and everyone greeted each other.
Steward Bi couldn't help but ask about the sailors who had gone to Pingzhou a while ago, "Where are Chen Wei and Leng Feng? Aren't they too engrossed in Pingzhou to leave?"
"No, they're not fooling around. They're busy getting married."
Steward Bi was surprised. "How long have they been in Pingzhou? They're getting married so soon?"
Zhu Dazhuang waved his hand and said, "It's not a happy occasion. Men should get married when they are old enough, and women should get married when they are old enough. If you like each other, just get married."
"But they don't have much vacation time left."
"Then what should we do? Getting married is a major event in life. If not, let them take some time off?"
Manager Bi explained the difficulties.
Zhu Dazhuang and the others laughed, "You said you don't have enough manpower? Why didn't you tell us earlier? We in Pingzhou can lend you two hundred people, okay?"
Manager Bi stroked his beard and said, "It's not impossible." The main thing is that these Pingzhou navy soldiers do their jobs when they are asked to do so, and don't cheat or play tricks.
Southland
Dark clouds are pressing down on the city, threatening to destroy it.
The imperial court joined forces with Prince Jin and Prince Cheng to encircle and suppress the southern region, causing panic among the people there.
Almost all the common people do not think highly of their governor.
If the city gates in the south were not tightly closed and the common people were allowed to enter and exit freely, the common people in the south would have been fleeing with their bags, or half of them would have already fled.
To be honest, although Xie Zhan had anticipated this situation, he still couldn't avoid a heart attack.
But he had to come out to appease the people, "Fellow villagers, don't panic."
The common people under the city wall all craned their necks to look up, and couldn't help whispering when they heard what was happening.
"The imperial court and the two kings' allied forces are about to attack, and you're not panicking, are you?"
"They are not coming to attack, but they are already at the gates of the city!" the person next to him corrected him.
Xie Zhan stood on it and said loudly, "Although the imperial court has joined forces with Prince Jin and Prince Cheng to encircle our southern land, our southern land is not isolated and helpless. We also have allies."
Common people, look at each other, they have allies in the South, who are they?
"Our ally is none other than Pingzhou."
The two words "Pingzhou" reacted immediately like a drop of water falling into boiling hot oil.
"Pingzhou?"
"That Pingzhou that neither the imperial court nor the Xianbei barbarians could do anything to?"
"That should be it."
"Is Pingzhou so powerful?"
"That's all old news. I also heard that Pingzhou captured the Fuyu tribe, a subordinate tribe of the Xianbei, a while ago."
"Didn't the Xianbei fight back?"
"He really didn't fight back. I guess he felt he couldn't win?"
"Pingzhou is amazing."
The people's discussions and exclamations were endless. People from the Xie family, such as Xie Bai and Xie Nan, heard it and felt very uncomfortable.
Xie Zhan also heard it, but he was not very emotional. This was something he had expected a long time ago, and his purpose of announcing the news was achieved, so that was enough.
"The soldiers from Pingzhou are already on their way to support us in the South. Our city is strong. As long as we hold on, we will be able to wait for the day of victory."
After Xie Zhan announced the news of the Hepingzhou Alliance, the people were indeed less agitated and pessimistic, and everyone regained confidence in the upcoming battle.
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