Chapter Thirty: New Compilation of Hu Wu (Part 1)

  Half a time later, Xiao Tienu finally returned, with more than 400 people panting and following behind his horse's tail, opening their chests to breathe in the cold weather. Although each of them was extremely tired, every single one of them looked extremely majestic and extremely savage!

  Xiao Tienu jumped off her horse and said to Zhe Yan Chong: "I only want these people, the others I don't care about."

  Zhe Yan nodded and said: "These people should not live with other villagers in Han Village, let's just live in a new village."

  Xiao Tienu said: "No need! There are still many tents in our village, pull out these tents and set them up at the edge of the Han army."

  "Zhe Yan Chong said: 'You must strictly control them and not allow them to commit arson, murder, robbery and looting!'"

  Xiao Tienu said, "Don't worry, when there's nothing to do, I'll take them hunting and horseback riding to vent their energy. When it's time for battle, I guarantee these men will be at the forefront! But as for food and weapons, we might still need some supplies from the village."

  Zhe Yan said with a smile: "Of course."

  Slowly, those who were not trampled to death followed, but were rejected by the 400-500 people and had no choice but to return to Yang Kai's command. The number of people was less than a thousand, while others died or escaped halfway. However, escaping in this situation did not necessarily mean that they would be better off than those who stayed - if they encountered Jurchen cavalry, they could be killed at any time.

  Zhe Yan Chong led the troops to meet with A Gu Da, presenting all the captured farm tools and military equipment. A Gu Da asked: "What is this for?"

  Zhe Yan Chong said: "My department launched the attack first, and our military strength was also exhausted first. We left behind to clean up the battlefield and let the fresh troops continue to pursue, not for the purpose of taking away the defeated enemy's property. These things we collected should be the common spoils of war for the whole army, and they should be given to the soldiers as rewards by the state."

  Agu Da was overjoyed and rewarded those who had contributed to the victory. Those who received rewards all praised the son-in-law.

  Aguo Da gave three-tenths of the spoils to the officers under Zhe Yan's command, and Zhe Yan said: "This is too much. My troops' achievements are not enough to deserve this."

  Ah Gu Da said: "Each department has looted a lot of things, but no one has handed them over. In fact, even if you intercept all the goods, no one will say anything - Han's military achievements are completely deserved!"

  Zhe Yan Zhong no longer declined. At this time, Wanyan Hu was approaching the capital, and Zhe Yan Zhong asked to retreat first. Abaoji agreed, and Zhe Yan Zhong said: "The Liao people have been defeated this time, and it will be difficult for them to organize a large-scale attack in several months. We have had battles every month since we started our campaign, and now is the right time to rest and recover. Just let the vanguard harass the border areas of Liao country, nibble at the counties of Dongjing, which is enough to expand our territory and boost national prestige."

  After bidding farewell to Ah Gu Da, they marched for less than a day when a horseman came flying back with the report: "The princess has given birth and both mother and child are safe."

  Zhe Yan was so excited that he pulled the reins and stood up, his hands and feet were out of control, and the horse also ran wildly due to his chaotic manipulation.

  Cao Guangyi grasped the horse's head and said: "I'll take care of the army's horses, you go back first."

  "Good!" Zhang Yan replied. He rode his horse day and night, and when he returned to the village of Han, he didn't look tired at all. Yang Yingqi was just coming out of his house and saw him smiling: "You've come back so quickly!"

  "Are Ah Hu and the child all right?"

  Only then did Wanyan Hu walk to the door and replied, "Alright is alright. Just don't speak too loudly. Also, move the horse further away, don't scare the child."

  Zhe Yan rushed down and shouted: "How did you come out! You should be sitting well in your month!"

  "Sit out the month? I'm not like you Han women, so delicate. Let me tell you, my aunt once gave birth and immediately encountered enemy invaders, she put down her child, picked up her bow and arrow, and went to join the battle!"

  Zhe Yan rushed into the room, and Yang Yingqi didn't ask about the war situation. Smiling, he closed the door and came to the Han Department's government hall. Seeing Yang Pu frowning, Yang Yingqi smiled and said: "A land of ten miles, a city of thousands of households, can it also stump you?"

  Yang Pu raised his head and said: "With no one at hand to use, it's naturally chaotic."

  Yang Yingqi smiled and said: "Say that in a lower voice. If Hu Mao and the others hear it, they'll make another fuss."

  Yang Pu said: "The front line reported that this time there were more than 5,000 prisoners of war. Among them, more than 1,000 people were incorporated into the army, and another 3,000 or so people were not easy to settle."

  Yang Yingqi said, "Those over a thousand who cannot speak Chinese can be exchanged for Han captives with the Jurchen people. The remaining two thousand people will all be sent to cultivate land. As the saying goes, 'spring planting and autumn harvesting', these people have arrived just in time!"

  Yang Pu said, "Now the wasteland is gradually opening up and there are more than a thousand people engaged in farming. We organize labor through cooperation and pay wages for food, which is temporarily fine, but this is not a long-term plan. If we want to be safe forever, it's better to divide the land among the people and only collect taxes - once the land belongs to each person, these people will become households with property. Only those with constant property have constant hearts."

  Yang Yingqi heard this and laughed: "Divide the land? Haha, I will never divide this land no matter what."

  Yang Pu asked in surprise: "What's going on?"

  Yang Yingqi said: "It's not time for a long stay yet, and Huining is not a place where we can stay for a long time."

  Yang Pu suddenly realized, thinking to himself: "I've lived for so many years, but when it comes to deep and far-sighted plans, I'm far inferior to this teenager!" He had no idea that Yang Yingqi's mental age was completely inconsistent with his appearance!

  On the third day, Xiao Tienu arrived, followed by Cao Guangyi. Yang Kaiyuan would not arrive until the fourth day.

  After Yang Pu arrived, Yang Yingqi handed over all the government affairs to him and gave him full authority. However, Yang Yingqi observed from the sidelines and found that Yang Pu was not very skilled in handling government affairs either. He thought to himself: "Ruling a state or a county is still not beyond his abilities. But to limit him to this would be to underrate him. His greatest talent lies in being an advisor on policy."

  Cao Guangyi and Yang Yingqi talked about the matter of Xiao Tienu's department Le Yi's brave warriors, Yang Yingqi said: "We are in a border area, sooner or later we will have such a cavalry. Alas, seeing the population gradually increasing, the barbarian wind is getting stronger, it is very good for our military combat effectiveness. However, if no more cultural talents join, the Han department will be barbarized sooner or later."

  "With us around, it won't come to that."

  Yang Yingqi said: "Military training may take effect in a few months - as long as it can inspire their courage and teach them discipline. But cultural and social education is not something that can be accomplished in ten years, these things are stubbornly difficult to imagine. The power of our small group is ultimately limited. In the case where the Hui people are the majority, even if we make a lifelong effort, at most it will only become a militarized society under Qin Shi Huang."

  Suddenly someone chuckled and said: "If one can establish achievements like Qin Shi Huang's, what's wrong with that?"

  Yang Yingqi said with a smile, "A thousand years ago he was naturally extraordinary. But now to let the world be like Qin's rule again, that would be a return to life!" He stared blankly for a moment, then exclaimed in surprise, "Ouyang! Is it you? You've come back!"