Chapter 257 I am his accomplice
Nianhan marched southward from Zhending Prefecture. The garrisons in the prefectures and counties along the way had been transferred away, so even if they wanted to resist, they were powerless.

The Jin army fought bravely, largely because they were driven by interests, namely, they launched brutal conquests against nomadic tribes and distributed property roughly after the war. However, since the Jin army in the west took Taiyuan, they were blocked by Yang Chang to the north of Taiyue Mountain.

Fighting all the time without any gains will affect the morale of the troops.

This time, when he went south from Hebei, Nianhan wanted to break the curse of no gains, seek benefits for his soldiers, and re-stimulate the fighting power of the Jin army in the west.

Although Nianhan and Erlido had an agreement that the Western Route Army was not allowed to attack counties along the way and was simply passing through the south, collecting grain locally was not within the scope of the agreement.

Nianhan was able to stick to his promise, but his soldiers were difficult to control. They plundered property along the way in the name of collecting grain.

Against this backdrop, people from various states fled their homes and headed in unison to Daming Prefecture to seek refuge under the rule of King Kang Zhao Gou.

In that era, communication was slow and ordinary people did not know that King Kang had escaped, so they all rushed to Daming Prefecture.

Lehe started from Damingfu and went westward almost against the crowd all the way until it entered Cizhou, where things changed.

Thanks to the propaganda of Sun Xin and Gu Dasao, many local people did not follow the crowd, but chose to flee to Luzhou with their elderly and children.

It doesn’t matter who the traitor is, what matters is who can save the lives of the people.

It is an ironclad fact that Yang Chang repelled the Jin army several times and the people under his rule lived a peaceful life.

Le He followed the fleeing crowd and headed towards Fengyue Pass. He was worried that there might be spies infiltrating, so he helped to secretly investigate along the way.

Through constant communication and conversation, Le He discovered that most of these refugees did not understand the people-friendly policies, and simply thought that Commander Yang was a good fighter.

After all, Cizhou and Luzhou are adjacent to each other, so they temporarily fled to Luzhou for refuge. When the Jin army withdrew and left the Central Plains, these people would return to their hometown in Cizhou. They had no intention of taking root under Yang Changzhi.

All the way from Daming Prefecture, Le He found that his own propaganda was not enough, otherwise the people who flocked to Daming Prefecture would definitely go to Shanxi instead.

When I return to Weisheng, I will definitely remind the commander.

When there were still five miles left to Fengyue Pass, Le He found a dozen strong men among the fleeing crowd.

Although their clothes were tattered and they were covered in dust, each of them had bright eyes and it was obvious that they were not ordinary farmers.

Careful work?

Le He has traveled all over the country and has rich experience in the world.

He noticed something was wrong, but did not go to confirm it immediately. Instead, he followed behind silently until he could see Fengyueguan, then he took the initiative to approach him.

"Where are you from, my friends? Why don't you have your families with you? I'm all alone, can you accompany me?"

"There is no need for so many people to be together. It is best for them to pursue their own careers."

"and many more."

Le He was initially rejected, but the round-faced man who looked like a leader in front of the team suddenly turned around after hearing the conversation, stopped his companions, clasped his fists and nodded in greeting.

"We are from Cizhou. We are here to explore the way on behalf of our family. We will go back to pick up our families after we have settled down. Why are you traveling alone? Are you here to explore the way as well?"

"No, my family is already in Luzhou, and they seem to be living well. I came here to seek refuge with them."

"Oh? That's good."

The round-faced man suddenly became attentive, and asked Le He with a smile: "What's your name? Since you are alone, let's go together."

"My last name is Le, and I am the third child in my family. You can call me Le Sanlang, or Le Saner, but I haven't asked for your advice yet."

"It's Brother Le. You can just call me Dong Dalang."

The two men exchanged pleasantries as they walked, and Dong Dalang was quite enthusiastic. Soon they arrived at Fengyue Pass and found that the guards were carefully interrogating people entering the pass.

Dong Dalang turned around to look at his companions and found that everyone had a serious expression. He thought that if he went there with that face, he would definitely be asked a few more questions.

No, it seems that if we want to pass through the customs smoothly, it will depend on Le Saner.

Thinking of this, Dong Dalang suddenly stopped, grabbed Le He's hand, and said seriously: "Brother Le, it is fate that we meet. Your family has settled down in Luzhou, and we are new here. We hope you will take care of us after we enter the pass."

"Okay, I'll do my best."

"There are many people entering the border. They will be interrogated later. It will be troublesome if they get separated along the way. I would like to ask you for a favor."

"Huh? Please speak."

Le He has become suspicious of everyone. When Dong Dalang held his hand just now, the calluses on his knuckles were very obvious, but his palms were not as rough as those of an old farmer, so he was definitely not a farmer.

Seeing Dong Dalang showing his fangs, Le He continued to agree with him with a smile.

"Brother Le, you are here to seek refuge with your relatives. It will be very easy for you to pass the customs inspection. You can just say that we are from the same hometown as you. This will save you a lot of trouble. Do you think it will work?"

"Okay, keep it on me."

"That's great, Brother Le is really righteous, let's go!"

"Okay, I'll go ahead."

Le He originally had only five points of suspicion, but now his suspicion has increased to nine points. He didn't expect that he could catch a group of spies while just going back to report.

When they reached Fengyue Pass, Le He saw Zou Run in front of him at a glance. Guessing that there were too many people entering the pass recently, he personally guarded the pass and questioned the passers-by.

Le He winked at the guard in advance, then stepped forward and exchanged a few words, and was allowed to enter the corridor below the pass.

After Dong Dalang and others checked their luggage and were allowed to pass, they caught up with Le He who was waiting in front of the corridor, and went through the corridor to the back of the pass together.

As the group walked out of the corridor, they suddenly heard a shout: Catch them all.

Two teams of soldiers rushed out from the left and right and pinned them all to the ground.

"What?"

"I've just checked it!"

"We are good citizens!"

When they were investigating, Dong Dalang unexpectedly discovered that Le He had not been arrested, so he hurriedly struggled to explain: "My fellow soldiers, he and I are from the same village, why are you arresting people at random? Brother Le, come and testify for me."

"Brother Dong."

Le He walked forward and said in a playful tone: "I, Le Sanlang, have always been honest. How can I help you to bear false witness? If you have any problem, confess it quickly."

"You play with me?"

Dong Dalang was so angry that he gritted his teeth and wanted to turn the tables and drag Le He into the trouble, so he pointed at a man who looked like a general standing next to him and started to complain emotionally.

"This guy is confusing right and wrong. We are the real good guys. He is actually a spy for King Kang. He just admitted it on the road. He also wants to recruit us secretly, promising us wealth and glory. Moreover, his accomplices have sneaked into Luzhou. As long as you catch him and torture him severely, he will definitely confess his crimes."

"Torture? You reminded me that those who confess will be treated leniently, while those who resist will be treated severely!"

Sun Li pointed the steel whip, and the sound was like the sound of Huang Zhong Da Lu.

"No." Dong Dalang was speechless, pointing at Le He and continuing to remind him: "General, this guy has a sharp face and a monkey face, and he is obviously a spy. Arrest him, and you will definitely find out who is his accomplice."

"I know."

"Ah? Then you."

"I am his accomplice."

Sun Li's words were like a sharp blade, piercing Dong Dalang's heart.

Those accomplices who were held down looked as if they had eaten shit, and they thought to themselves, what the hell is that look in your eyes? We are all harmed by you.

"Tell me, who sent you here? What's the purpose?"

"We are really farmers, no one sends us"

"Do you really think I'm a three-year-old child? If you've never killed anyone before, I'll cut off your head!"

"You."

When Dong Dalang was at a loss for words, one of his accomplices broke down and confessed: "General, I am willing to confess. I really am willing to confess."

"Pockmarked, how dare you!"

"Noisy!"

Le He raised his hand and slapped him, and Dong Dalang felt his left cheek swell up instantly.

Although Dong Dalang was stubborn, he was no match for the weak-kneed people below him, who sold him out in no time.

They were actually Song generals and soldiers from Hebei, but at the end of the previous year they surrendered to the Jin army which first marched south.

The leader Dong Dalang's real name is Dong Cai. Because he was familiar with the customs and culture of Shanxi, he was sent by Nianhan in advance as a spy to prepare for the future attack on Yang Chang. However, he did not expect that he would fail in his mission and was targeted by Lehe before he even entered the pass.

Capturing the Jin army's spies was no small matter. After asking for permission from the general manager Lin Chong, Sun Li sent a team of people to escort them from Lehe to Weisheng for punishment.

At the end of May, Lehe arrived in Weisheng.

Yang Chang temporarily imprisoned Dong Cai and ordered Le He and Cai Fu to continue interrogating him. He wanted to dig out more information.

As soon as Le He left, Wu Song came over with big strides, clasped his fists and suggested: "Nianhan has bad intentions, he must have learned from Han Libu, and came from Luzhou to attack Weisheng. Do you want to send more troops to Coach Lin?"

"To the east of Luzhou is Taihang. As long as we hold Fengyue Pass, no matter how many Jin troops Nianhan has, they will not be able to enter in the end."

"But there is a continuous influx of refugees from Luzhou, and it is very difficult to interrogate at Fengyue Pass. If it weren't for Le Sanlang's coincidence, Dong Cai might have successfully sneaked in. If he mixed into the army again, the consequences would be disastrous. It is better to close the pass and refuse entry to the people."

"Closing the border and refusing to allow the people to return is a lazy approach and will only make the people lose their support. Instructor Lin is a cautious person and he has Yan Qing as his assistant. I believe they can handle it well."

Seeing that Yang Chang was so confident, Wu Song continued to suggest: "The Jin army suddenly marched south in large numbers and sent spies in advance. We don't know if they are coming for us. Second brother doesn't have much foresight. Should we recall Zhu Wu or Wen Huanzhang to Weisheng for advice? Or should we summon all the officials of Weisheng to discuss the matter and hear everyone's opinions?"

"Um"

Yang Chang frowned and pondered, muttering to himself, "Luzhou refugees are pouring in, and the summer harvest is approaching in various places. The surrounding passes are dangerous and are heavily guarded. There will be no danger for the time being. Even if it is a big deal, we have to wait until the grain is harvested. I will think about it first."

"Ok."

After Wu Song finished speaking, he bid farewell to Yang Chang and sent his personal soldiers to Pingbei Army to pass on the order, and to transfer Shi Qian and Yexiao Army to Weisheng for use.

Nianhan sent out spies before the battle, which gave Wu Song a familiar feeling. Gu Dasao's Sparrow Army had not yet taken shape, while Shi Qian's Night Owl Army had already trained 500 people and could be sent out to play a role.

In less than a month, major events occurred frequently around Yang Chang's jurisdiction.

First, the Jin army in Taiyuan suddenly retreated, and even voluntarily gave up the entire Fenzhou. Then there were news that refugees poured into Luzhou, and Nianhan and Erlido left Hebei together. Now, a Jin army spy has been captured.

No matter how you look at it, it seems like he is calculating against himself.

After all, Yang Chang had a weak foundation. From the end of last year to now, in the past six months, he has successively taken over Luzhou and Liaozhou. The resources in his hands were consumed like playing cards, and his family's fortune was emptied in a few strokes.

The continuous influx of refugees into Luzhou has lowered the emergency line of grain reserves again. Everyone is waiting for the summer harvest in June, waiting for a bumper harvest of wheat and potatoes.

The Pingbei Army, headed by Xiao Rang, was the second state under Yang Changzhi to promote potatoes. Last year, all the remaining grain in the state's government warehouses was used to aid Luzhou and Liaozhou.

The harvest is approaching in various parts of the Pingbei Army, and there is hope of having enough food to eat, but what limits grain production is the land.

Yang Chang defeated the Jin army several times in Fenzhou last year. Now, after hearing that the Jin army had withdrawn and abandoned Fenzhou, many people who had moved from Fenzhou jointly petitioned the provincial government, hoping that the government troops would be stationed in Fenzhou.

These people wanted to return to their hometown to farm, and many people from Fenzhou also joined the army, hoping to recover their homes. Zhu Tong had gained confidence by following Yang Chang's lead. He had been preparing for battle for the past few months, waiting for the order from the Taiwei Mansion to march north.

The letters from Xiao Rang and Zhu Tong made Yang Changsheng hesitate a lot, so he went to Luzhou in the name of inspecting the refugees to ask Wen Huanzhang for advice.

Wen Huanzhang believed that the time was not right and it was not the time to take the initiative to attack. In particular, they should not easily expand towards Taiyuan and let the overstretched garrisons be dispersed to guard the unprotected territories. He suggested that Yang Chang continue to develop people's livelihood and let the Jin and Song armies consume their strength first.

After hearing Huanzhang's words, Yang Changna kept his troops in place and waited for the right time.

Considering the large influx of refugees into Luzhou, Lin Chong's troops were indeed short of manpower. Yang Chang ordered Lu Zhishen to lead the Yisheng surrendered army to Luzhou to help with the harvest and maintain order, and to focus on increasing troops in the Huguan area.

South of Huguan is Zezhou. Yang Chang really wants to include it in his sphere of influence, but he has not found a suitable excuse yet.

As long as the gap in Zezhou is filled, it is equivalent to filling up the defense. If the Jin army wants to attack Yangchang, they can only spend troops, money and food and force their way through various passes.

Of course, Yang Chang was prepared a little early. When Nianhan's army passed through Cizhou, they learned that Fengyue Pass was heavily guarded, so they simply gave up the plan to force their way into Luzhou.

Erlido received a message from Zhao Gou and invited Nianhan to join him in encircling Wang Zongchu. Nianhan readily agreed.

As a result, the Jin troops from the east and west simultaneously marched into Daming Prefecture from Mingzhou and Xiangzhou. It was too late for Wang Zongchu to realize the danger and he was forced to fight.

The Imperial Guards and the Western Army led by Wang Zongchu were inferior to the Jin Army in terms of both troop numbers and individual soldier quality. The ships transporting supplies and food in the Yellow River were constantly harassed by the navy led by Zhang Shun.

After several battles, more than 100,000 Song troops were wiped out.

Xie Qian died in battle at the Maling Pass, Zhe Keqiu was defeated and captured by the Jin army, and Zhe Yanzhi helped Wang Zongchu escape.

Wang Zongchu led an army of 100,000 and fled back to Bianliang with less than 20 men left.

When Qinzong learned that the Jin army had returned and wiped out the Western Army, which he relied on, he was panicked and didn't know how to respond. The court was in uproar.

Geng Nanzhong, a representative of the peace-seeking faction, suggested that Qinzong pay tribute to Jin and seek peace. He then sent Li Ruoshui, the assistant minister of the Ministry of Personnel, as an envoy to meet Nianhan and Erlido with full sincerity.

So-called sincerity means agreeing to cede territory, pay compensation, send hostages, and all other demands.

The Yellow River is the boundary, and the compensation will be paid in full, and whoever is needed as hostage will be provided as hostage.

The Jin people had always been aggressive, so Qinzong was not at ease. He was afraid that the Jin army would come to Bianliang again. In the critical moment, he thought of Li Gang again and sent his confidant to recall him to Beijing with an imperial edict.

Li Ruoshui met Nianhan in Liyang. The Jin army on the west took a brief rest in Damingfu and continued to march westward from north of the Yellow River.

The thorn in Nianhan's heart was Yang Chang, so he had only one request, which was to cede all the cities in Hedong and Hebei, most importantly the states in Shanxi, and to complete the handover within 20 days.

(End of this chapter)