Chapter 829: Xue Qingyao's Response
As expected, when the scouts who had been scouting from Guanhai County came back two days later, they reported to Xue Tu a similar news. A large number of people also migrated in the narrow coastal area south of Zhudao, which was the jurisdiction of Guanhai County divided by the Han tribe.
However, unlike Xianfeng County, the scorched earth and cleared the fields tactics in Guanhai County were not implemented so thoroughly. In addition to moving away a large number of young and strong children, cattle, sheep, livestock, food and dried meat, the Xin tribe also left behind a large number of old, weak and disabled people.
Of course, it may not be accurate to say old and weak. Most of these people are around 40 years old, but for this era, they are already very old. The few people in their thirties are either infected with diseases or have various disabilities. In a word, according to the scouts, if there is a good person in their thirties, they all migrated away.
"When we went there, we only saw the elderly, disabled, and sick people in the village sitting alone in the yard, lifeless, not working, not moving, just waiting to die. We checked the food reserves of some elderly people, they didn't even have much food, they must have been abandoned."
This situation seems to be worse than Xianfeng County. If you migrate, you should get rid of them. What's the point of leaving such a group of old, weak, sick and disabled people? But the facts are there, and the Han tribe can't ignore them.
Xue Tu frowned deeply, pondered for a while, and then asked the scout who came to report the situation again, "Did you see them set up an ambush?"
"Reply to the commander, we didn't find any ambush in Guanhai County, but we found their migration route to the west. Before we came back, other brothers had gone there to scout. We came back to report the situation in Guanhai County first." The scout cupped his hands and talked about the scout again.
"Well." Xue Tu nodded, then pondered for a while, and then suddenly slammed the table and shouted. "Where is the messenger?"
Upon hearing this roar, a messenger immediately came in from outside the big tent, folded his hands in front of the tent and prepared to listen to the order, "General, what do you want?"
"Send the Xiangjian Guards to order all 2,500 infantrymen and 500 cavalrymen of the Xiaoqi Guards to march immediately to the Luer Mountain area west of Guanhai County and east of Jiahai County, find a strategic pass to set up camp, and block the enemy in Jiahai County so that they cannot break out."
Xue Tu finished reading the order, and the clerk next to him had already written the text version of the written order, and then brought it to Xue Tu for him to sign and seal, so that the order would take effect. The order written on paper was sealed into a bamboo tube with a wax seal, and then a token for the messenger was given, so that he was qualified to pass the order.
Moreover, when passing the order, the token of the person giving the order, the oral order of the messenger, and the sealed written order must all be consistent, so that the subordinate can determine the authenticity of the military order and then execute the order.
After the messenger got these things, he repeated the order again. After everything was correct, he clasped his fists and shouted "Yes", and then prepared to go out to pass the order.
However, just as he turned around, he heard another person's shout from behind, which made him stop.
"Wait."
The messenger turned around and saw that the person who called him was the Grand Marshal Xue Qingyao, so he stood there waiting for the next words. However, Xue Qingyao turned his head to look at Xue Tu and asked him a question in a low voice.
"I say, Marshal, the Xin tribe is intentionally spreading rumors to discredit the image of our Han army and undermine the foundation of our future rule. It's okay for Xianfeng County, since there aren't many people there anyway, but we can't ignore the old, weak, and disabled in Guanhai County, otherwise there will be endless troubles."
"Then what do you say we should do? You are the military commander, and this matter should be your responsibility. I'll listen to you." Xue Tu was a bachelor. He only cared about fighting and didn't want to fight with the Xin tribe, but as the political chief in charge of the political situation in the war zone, Xue Qingyao, the military commander, couldn't just ignore it.
"Of course, we have to maintain the righteous image of our Han army and tell them with facts that we are not a cruel and bloodthirsty army of thugs." Xue Qingyao said immediately.
"How to maintain it?" Yang Feng, a soldier, asked in confusion.
"Prisoners of war, prisoners of war are the best proof. Didn't they spread the word that we kill anyone we see? But now all the people from your two corps have been captured by us. Not only did we not kill them, but we also gave them the opportunity to undergo labor reform. These prisoners of war are living proof. As long as we pull these prisoners of war to the front line and bring them to the enemy, the lies of the Xin tribe leaders will be broken, and our army will be able to defeat the enemy without occupying any territory.
There are also the old, weak, sick and disabled people in Guanhai County. They gave up on their own, but we can't give up. We provide these people with food and treat their diseases. As long as they are not stupid, they can understand whether we are good people or not. This is the best way to maintain the image of our Han army."
Xue Qingyao immediately counted on his fingers and said to several people.
"Is what you said really useful?" Xue Tu asked with a little doubt.
"It is absolutely useful. As long as we operate properly, we can minimize the enemy's resistance and reduce our casualties. We can even capture a lot of prisoners." Xue Qingyao immediately nodded affirmatively.
"Then I'll listen to you. What do you say?" Seeing that his military commander was so confident, Xue Tu simply agreed.
"This is easy. The messenger, when you tell the Xiangjian Guard to set off, bring a few more carts of food, and find a good supply point along the waterway, find a good landing point for the subsequent ship supply, and after setting up camp in the defense zone, let their military commander lead the logistics soldiers to distribute food and treat the illnesses to the people in each village, and read and post the policies of our Han army in the jurisdiction, and make sure everyone knows it."
"Yes." The messenger nodded, and then turned and left.
After sending away the messenger, Xue Qingyao said to Xue Tu, "We have to transfer those prisoners of war here first, and then let each guard station find some enlightened clan leaders and people in their jurisdiction, and then let them go with the prisoners to read out our policies to the enemy and smash the conspiracy of the Xin tribe's high-level officials."
Xue Tu frowned after listening to this, and found that what Xue Qingyao said had nothing to do with him at all, and then he couldn't help complaining, "These are originally your responsibility, you can handle it yourself, I still have to dispatch troops to seal off Jiahai County first, no matter what you want to do, we have to block the enemy first."
"Yes, yes, since you, the general, are too lazy to take care of it, then let's make our own arrangements. I will try to send those prisoners of war up when you complete the siege, so as to launch our public opinion offensive."
Xue Qingyao smiled and shook his head helplessly. He and Xue Tu had only been partners for a short time, and he didn't know if this guy was really a reckless man, or if Xue Tu was deliberately avoiding political issues, or if he was simply not interested in politics.
But no matter what, the military system formulated by Luo Chong is there. Even if Xue Tu doesn't care about politics, the huge war machine of the Han army can still operate normally, so none of this matters.
After a brief discussion, Xue Tu and Xue Qingyao quickly went about their own business. Xue Qingyao not only had to coordinate military supplies, but also had to be responsible for the local political situation. Now he had to mobilize prisoners of war and civilians from behind. He was very busy.
There is another chapter in the evening
(end of this chapter)
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