Chapter 31: Winning People's Hearts
Qu Tutong saw the two of them flirting with each other, sighed slightly in his heart, and slowly said, "Since you are here under His Highness' command, you should do whatever His Highness asks you to do.
Are you going to disobey His Highness' orders?"
During the expedition, all orders from superiors are military orders.
Military orders are as heavy as mountains; those who disobey will be executed.
Qu Tutong's tone was very firm, and Han Liang immediately understood that Li Yuanji had probably made up his mind and would not change it.
Although he still couldn't figure out what Li Yuanji was thinking, he knew that Qu Tutong would never side with Li Yuanji.
Since Qu Tutong said he could agree, he could only agree temporarily.
"I obey your command."
Han Liang bowed respectfully to Li Yuanji.
Li Yuanji nodded in satisfaction and said, "I have handed over the matter of supervising the transportation of grain and grass to you, but there are some things I need to make clear to you."
Han Liang's eyes widened instantly, alarm bells rang in his heart.
Is there really a conspiracy?
Li Yuanji continued, "Since I have decided to hand over the transportation of grain and grass to you, I will not interfere in the transportation of grain and grass, nor will I ask about the trivialities of the transportation of grain and grass.
You are fully responsible for this matter. If anything goes wrong, you will be responsible.
If there is any merit, each of us will get half."
Han Liang looked at Li Yuanji in astonishment.
That's it?
Li Yuanji added: "Don't look at me like that. I am not taking your credit for nothing. If anything goes wrong with you, my father will chop off the heads of your entire family, but I can protect your wife and child."
Li Yuanji is very fair in his work and never takes other people's things for free.
Han Liang was so shocked that he was speechless.
He thought Li Yuanji had some conspiracy, but after all the fuss, he realized that he had been judging others by his own standards.
Not only did Li Yuanji have no conspiracy, but it also gave him a reassurance.
It is not necessarily possible for Li Shimin to be so calm when he said that he saved Li Shimin's wife and son when Li Yuan ordered the execution of his entire family.
Yin Qiao stared at Li Yuanji in disbelief.
Qu Tutong was also stunned.
Qu Tutong knew Li Yuanji quite well, but what Li Yuanji did at this moment far exceeded his understanding of Li Yuanji.
Li Yuanji once said in Taiji Hall that he suddenly came to his senses after being struck by lightning.
He was skeptical before, but now he believes it.
"Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness."
Han Liang didn't care whether Li Yuanji was sincere or fake.
Since Li Yuanji said he could help him, he had to thank him.
"Okay, go ahead and do your work. You don't have to follow me."
Li Yuanji waved to Han Liang.
As the saying goes, food and fodder must be sent before troops move out.
This expedition against Liu Heita had to rely entirely on self-raised food supplies, so those who were responsible for raising food and supervising its transportation had to act faster than others.
Han Liang is also a straightforward person.
He immediately bowed to Li Yuanji and rode out of Mingde Gate.
Li Yuanji greeted Qu Tutong and Yin Qiao, then left Mingde Gate with his followers.
When we rushed to the official road outside the city, we saw Xie Shufang leading more than 1,400 cavalrymen, waiting quietly by the side of the official road.
The big flag with the word "Li" in the middle of the team was more than two meters high and whistled in the wind.
Qu Tutong and Yin Qiao looked at the more than 1,400 cavalrymen with envy.
They have been in the military for half their lives, and have a deep love for soldiers.
But their titles and identities are limited, and the number of subordinates they can have is also limited.
There are only about two hundred people.
Unlike Li Yuanji, who could mobilize thousands of subordinates with just a wave of his hand.
If Li Yuanji wanted, he could also do as Li Shimin did and have three generals on the left and three on the right, commanding 18,000 people.
Li Yuanji had few soldiers under his command, not because of his limited power.
It was purely because of his bad reputation that no brave warriors were willing to be loyal to him, and no brave soldiers were willing to tie their lives to his chariot.
If Li Yuanji insisted on commanding 18,000 people, that would be easy.
He could draw troops from Bingzhou and Xiangzhou Road (Shannan Road) at will .
Li Yuanji was not only the Grand Commander of Bingzhou, but also the Minister of the Grand Secretariat of Xiangzhou Road.
Li Yuanji's position in Xiangzhou Road was the same as that of Li Shimin in Shaanxi East Road.
“Swish!”
The 1,400 cavalrymen dismounted and knelt on one knee.
"Greetings, Your Highness!"
Li Yuanji was very excited when he saw the 1,400 cavalrymen saluting.
Although he has no utilitarian ambitions, he can remain calm as long as he has soldiers under his command.
Li Yuanji raised his hand and said, "No need to be polite."
"Thank you, Your Highness!"
Xie Shufang and a group of cavalrymen expressed their gratitude, stood up together, and mounted their horses.
Li Yuanji carefully observed the cavalry under his command and found that their faces were more calm and their eyes were more determined.
This is different from what I remember from my previous life.
In the memory of my previous life, these cavalrymen usually had complicated expressions and flickering eyes when they went to war, and sometimes some of them even looked as pale as death.
This should be because Li Sixing put the task he assigned into practice. They saw that he treated the families of the soldiers who died in battle well and was not afraid that after they died on the battlefield, the women and children at home would be left unattended.
Li Yuanji silently gave Li Sixing a thumbs up in his heart, then rode his horse forward and walked in front of the group of cavalrymen.
"Is there a blacksmith in the army?"
Li Yuanji asked.
Xie Shufang immediately clasped his fists and said, "There are six artisans who have joined the army."
Li Yuanji nodded and ordered: "Order the craftsmen to forge iron plates two inches long and one inch wide immediately, engrave the officers' titles on the front and their names, native places, and ancestral lands on the back, and have the officers wear them close to their bodies.
Once the soldiers are killed on the battlefield, even if you cannot bring them back, you must at least bring the iron plate back to me.
From now on, any women or children holding iron plates who come to ask for help can see me directly.
I will personally seek justice for him.”
Li Yuanji did not promise the cavalrymen official titles or anything like that they could get promoted and make a fortune by following him.
Given the bad reputation and credibility of the Prince of Qi's Palace, even if he offered official titles and made promises to the cavalrymen, the cavalrymen would not believe it.
On the contrary, doing so would make it easier for the cavalry to believe and win their hearts.
When the cavalry heard what Li Yuanji said, they stared at him in disbelief.
After a moment, his eyes began to become complicated.
Some people's eyes were filled with regret, regret for the brothers who died in the previous battle; some people's eyes were filled with excitement, excited that Li Yuanji could be so considerate to them.
Qu Tutong and Yin Qiao looked at each other with shock in their eyes.
Li Yuanji did not do anything earth-shattering. He just did a trivial thing, but he firmly grasped the hearts of the soldiers.
The words "Any women or children holding iron plates who come to ask for help can come to see me directly" were enough to make many of these cavalrymen risk their lives for Li Yuanji.
“Yes!”
Xie Shufang responded louder than ever before.
The cavalrymen gritted their teeth and wished they could shout along with Xie Shufang.
Li Yuanji did not promise them any glory or wealth, but in their eyes, what Li Yuanji promised was much more reliable than glory or wealth.
"Order someone to hang a halberd in front of the farm outside the city. When the soldiers are out on the battlefield, if anyone dares to cross the halberd and offend them, the whole palace of the Prince of Qi will punish him together!"
Li Yuanji ordered again.
“Yes!”
Xie Shufang agreed even louder.
The cavalrymen could no longer hold back and responded in unison, their spirits unprecedentedly high.
Li Yuanji glared at the cavalrymen and said, "Don't be too happy too soon. When you follow me on this expedition, you must protect me well. If anything happens to me, you must die with me."
"I swear to protect your highness till my death!"
“…”
The cavalry shouted.
Li Yuanji nodded coldly. With the momentum of the cavalrymen, they would definitely be able to protect him.
After Xie Shufang gave his instructions to the good people, Li Yuanji waved his hand and said, "Go to war!"
Li Yuanji led the way with a lance on his back, and two thousand cavalrymen rushed out.
"Our King Qi is really different now."
Yin Qiao looked at Li Yuanji rushing out with a group of aggressive cavalry and sighed sincerely.
What Li Yuanji did today gave him some insights and made him realize that His Royal Highness the Prince of Qi had really changed.
Qu Tutong glanced at Yin Qiao and curled his lips and said, "If anything happens to him, we will die too. Do you still have the mind to sigh here?"
After saying this, Qu Tutong rode his horse and chased after him.
Yin Qiao was stunned at first, then he also rode out to chase after him, shouting as he chased, "Brother Qu Tu, wait for me..."
The horses galloped all the way and when they arrived at Tongguan, it was already completely dark.
In the past, Tongguan only had a few defenders, but tonight it has become a barracks with a mixed population.
Li Yuanji, Wang Junlang, Li Shou and Fan Shixing successively entered Tongguan with their subordinates.
Luo Shixin and Guo Zihe were going to Jiangzhou and Yunzhou to dispatch the troops of the General Administration Office under their command, so they left Tongguan overnight.
Li Shimin and his subordinates needed to lead 3,000 black-armored soldiers, as well as the troops of the left and right three generals of the Qin Palace, and travel together.
Due to the large number of soldiers and horses, their speed was definitely not as fast as Li Yuanji and his group.
When Li Yuanji arrived in Tongguan, he naturally lived in the largest barracks in Tongguan.
The commander of Tongguan not only gave his barracks to Li Ji, but also moved all his personal belongings to a small barracks.
When the night is as thick as ink.
Li Yuanji sat in a majestic manner behind a long table in the barracks, admiring an iron plate.
The craftsmen accompanying the army from the Prince of Qi's palace were highly skilled and efficient.
Less than an hour after entering Tongguan, an iron plate was cast.
Two inches long, one inch wide, and half an inch thick.
There are words engraved on both sides.
“Is it too thick?”
Li Yuanji stared at Xie Shufang who was standing in front of him with his head bowed, waiting for his feedback.
Xie Shufang hurriedly said: "Time is tight, the military craftsman has done his best."
Li Yuanji fumbled with the iron plate, which was a little prickly, and said, "At least polish it a bit."
Xie Shufang smiled bitterly and said, "Time is running out..."
Li Yuanji waved his hand and said, "Let the military craftsmen find a way to reduce the thickness of the iron plate to two centimeters. As for the problem of polishing, don't worry. After they have cast the iron plate, I will teach them how to polish it."
When it comes to winning people's hearts, we must do our best.
Otherwise, who would risk their life to protect him? !
“Yes!”
Xie Shufang took the iron plate and left the barracks.
Not long after, the guard at the gate reported, "Your Highness, General Fan, General Wang, and General Li want to see you."
Li Yuanji was stunned for a moment, looking suspicious.
Why are they coming to me instead of going to sleep?
“Please let them in!”
After some thought, Li Yuanji asked the guards to invite Wang Junlang, Fan Shixing and Li Shou to the barracks.
