PDLP Chapter 108 Tangyin City in Turmoil
Chapter 108 Tangyin City in Turmoil
秦桧的目光深邃，对张城那近乎谦卑的姿态流露出不易察觉的满意之色，他缓缓启唇，声音低沉而有力：“安阳城，北望金国，烽火连天，其战略地位不言而喻。你身为此城知府，肩上担子之重，非同小可。鉴于此，我意赐你便宜行事之权，让你在应对边关急务时能更加游刃有余。”
言毕，秦桧话锋一转，语气中多了几分不容置疑的威严：“为了加强我朝对边疆的掌控，以及确保情报的畅通无阻，我决定在安阳城内设立皇城司的一处密探之所，此站之责，便交予你来担纲。你需尽心竭力，确保情报无误，为我大宋边疆安宁保驾护航。”
Although Zhang Cheng knew perfectly well that this move was Qin Hui's attempt to solidify his power network in Anyang City, he was powerless to resist. Anyang City was now under the jurisdiction of the Song Dynasty, and he could only obey orders. He also wanted to emulate Li Zhen's Tangyin City, but his own strength was insufficient.
So he lowered his head respectfully, his voice soft but firm: "Lord Qin is wise and far-sighted. I will certainly live up to your trust and do my utmost to ensure the smooth operation of the Imperial City Intelligence Station and contribute my modest efforts to the peace of the Song Dynasty's borders." His words conveyed both a sense of duty and a sense of helplessness and compromise in the face of the current situation.
After parting ways with Zhang Cheng, Qin Hui, along with his elite troops, embarked on a journey to Hebi. As night fell, the outline of Hebi appeared particularly somber under the moonlight. There, he quietly met with several secret leaders of the Imperial City Guard.
Qin Hui's face was covered with a thin layer of frost-like indifference, and his tone was devoid of any warmth: "Is there any definite news about that person's whereabouts? Is he still hiding in Li Family Village?"
一位首领躬身禀报，声音中夹杂着几分无奈与紧迫：“回禀大人，李家寨地势险要，守卫森严，宛若铁桶一般滴水不漏。我皇城司虽精锐，却也难以渗透其内。数度派遣精锐小队潜入探查，无奈对方警惕异常，我等弟兄往往未及靠近，便已暴露行踪，最终大多折戟沉沙，未能带回丝毫有用之资。”
After he finished speaking, a sense of oppression and heaviness filled the air, as if even the night had become quieter.
Qin Hui nodded slightly, a deep light flashing in his eyes. He pondered to himself: What secrets does this Li Family Village hold that have rendered such a tight intelligence network helpless? It seems that every step from now on must be taken with even greater caution in order to uncover the truth hidden beneath this thick fog.
对于这个答案秦桧并不满意，他让皇城司的人继续想办法探查。其实这次不光是宋国皇帝赵构让秦桧寻找李家寨藏身的赵佶，就连金国皇帝完颜亮也让秦桧探查此事，为此还专门安排了几个金羽卫的人在他身边，好随时传递消息。
The scene shifts to Tangyin City, where Li Zhen is listening to reports from several leaders. The cement road from Tangyin to Lijiazhai has now been completed, ensuring that supplies and troops can be transported between the two places in the shortest possible time.
The reinforcement work on Tangyin City is nearing completion and is expected to be finished in another week. However, COFCO Oils is facing some trouble. Many counties and prefectures in Daming Prefecture have changed their administrators, and along with the Song officials have come southern grain merchants who are colluding with the government to suppress COFCO Oils' business. Several of its county and prefecture branches have already closed down.
孙掌柜深知此事非同小可，遂亲自披挂上阵，率领一众得力助手，踏上了前往当地官府的路途，心中既怀忐忑又满是决绝，誓要为这棘手难题寻得一线转机。
反观李振，昔日里对中粮油倾注的心血，如今似乎已随着资金的充裕而悄然淡去。他的心中，一个更为宏大的蓝图正缓缓铺展——那是关于军事实力的全面振兴与扩张。
Now, with ample funds at his disposal, he stands at a crossroads, secretly pondering whether to shut down COFCO Oils' sales and devote all his energy and manpower to his military development.
Just then, Mr. Bad Guy arrived with a message that had just come from Li Family Village.
"My lord, I just received news from Yue Peng that the stronghold was attacked by unidentified individuals again last night. Although the guards managed to stop their attack, we also suffered more than a dozen casualties."
李振缓缓站起，目光穿透窗棂，投向那绵延不绝、似乎蕴含着无尽故事的山寨方向，心中犹如晨雾初散，一个坚定的念头悄然生根。
他轻启薄唇，声音沉稳而有力：“去通知岳鹏，是时候了。将我留给他的那些武器都用上，我就不信靠着这些还阻挡不住那些混蛋的脚步。”
其实就是李振在临走的时候留下的苏制反步兵地雷，这还是当时李振在购买武器的时候那个军官送给他的，有了这些地雷布置在山寨周围，就不怕那些人再来袭扰了。
Landmines are very effective defensive weapons, but their drawback is that they cannot distinguish between friend and foe. Once you plant a landmine, if you have a bad memory, you might also be killed or injured by it. Therefore, landmines are a double-edged sword. In wartime, they can effectively prevent enemy attacks, but they also essentially trap you inside and prevent you from getting out.
如今的汤阴城内守军共有一万五千人，其中已经有一千二百人的现代化武器部队，轻重机枪在城墙上设置了足足十几挺，迫击炮和战防炮等也有三门。这样的火力配置足够抵挡这个时代冷兵器军队的进攻了，但也仅仅是防御，一旦出了城，敌人的骑兵就会发挥他们的长处。
李家寨屹立于群山环抱之中的坚城，其守备之森严，足以令风云变色。七千精兵严阵以待，而更令人瞩目的是，无数庞大的工程机械车辆穿梭其间，宛如钢铁巨兽，为这座要塞添上了几分不可一世的霸气。
Lijiazhai was built against the mountain, in a strategically important location. Every strategic point was fortified with machine gun bunkers. Amidst the interplay of artillery fire, it seemed as if even the sky could be torn apart by their sharpness. It was said that only an army of 100,000 could shake it in the slightest.
As Li Family Village grew increasingly powerful, its reputation attracted people from surrounding counties like a magnet. Some came with their families, some alone, some chose to join Li Family Village to fight against external threats, and some went to the nearby city of Tangyin for protection. However, unlike in the past when it was open to all talents and embraced all rivers, Li Zhen, the wise and brave leader of the village, now conducted extremely strict and meticulous screening of every new member.
It wasn't that people's hearts had changed, but rather that the circumstances forced their hand. In this turbulent era, spies from both the Jin and Song dynasties lurked like ghosts in the shadows, attempting to uncover the truth and strike a fatal blow. Li Zhen knew all too well that the slightest misstep could lead to utter defeat. Therefore, he personally oversaw the process, ensuring that every new face and every word underwent rigorous screening to guarantee loyalty and purity before allowing them to integrate.