On the third day after Li Yan returned to Qi County, Manager Wang from the Zhou Palace came with the grain tax.*                                                                                                                   

"General Li," Manager Wang bowed politely and said, "I heard that you are back, I will bring the prepared food. And the New Year gift from the royal palace is also brought together."

Li Yan smiled and said, "It's just November now, isn't the New Year's Ceremony a little too early?"

"The prince's mansion should also avoid taboos. Governor Gao is from the inspector and has taken office. The general understands." Manager Wang sat on the chair and replied with a smile.

Li Yan casually put the list on the table and said, "The harvest in the royal family is not bad?"

"I'm asking for the general's blessing," Manager Wang bowed: "There is no thief invasion, the water source is enough, and the harvest is not bad."

Li Yan nodded and prepared to serve tea and see the guests off.

Manager Wang said, "General Li, I heard that you have a new thing here that produces more than ten stones per mu?"

Li Yan nodded and said, "That's right, there is such a thing."

"Then" Manager Wang bowed and said, "Can you give us some farms?"

Li Yan just smiled and didn't say anything.

"The reward is easy to say," Manager Wang continued: "The teacher of the instructor, plus the seeds of two acres of land, we will produce thirty stones of grain."

Li Yan pretended to think for a moment, nodded and said, "Yes, when next year's farming time, I will have someone come with seeds."

In fact, the Zhou royal family has shown enough kindness. If Manager Wang wants to get the method of growing potatoes, I believe that he can get it from the people without ten stones of grain. So thirty stones is already a lot of reward.

"Then thank you General." Manager Wang stood up and bowed to thank him, and then said goodbye and left.

Li Yan picked up the gift list and looked at it. It was the same last year, including some gold, silver, cloth, silk, sheep and poultry. He asked someone to send the goods home, while the grain tax sent by the farm was sent to the grain warehouse.

Li Zhong came in at this time and said in confusion: "The King of Zhou is strange. We forced him last year, but this year he consciously sent the things over."

Li Yan smiled and said, "It seems that the royal mansion also knows that our importance is. If it weren't for our protection, his farm here would have been deserted long ago."

"Let's leave tomorrow?" Li Zhong no longer talked about the royal palace, but asked about Li Yan's itinerary: "There hasn't been handled yet?"

Li Yan nodded and said, "Those big players still want to resist, I have to go back and deal with it."

"You want to use it?" Li Zhong asked.

Li Yan shook his head: "Not yet. Although Li Zicheng and the others are still sieging the city and plundering the land, they are still heading south. Let's wait. But no matter what, they must start paying taxes next year."

"Is it OK next year?" Li Zhong asked in confusion.

"According to this trend, either the court will send the official army to encircle Li Zicheng, or the entire Henan will become a battlefield." Li Yan tapped the table with his finger and analyzed: "But does the imperial court still have troops to adjust? Although Liaodong defended Ningyuan, it also needs to station troops. In addition, 40,000 people including Hong Chengchou and Zu Dashou were surrounded in Songshan and Jinzhou, so they also need to go to rescue."

Li Zhong nodded and said, "That's the reason. I guess there will be no more soldiers in the court that can be adjusted."

"When next year, our new recruits will be trained, with a force of 40,000 troops. Even if the court is not satisfied, who can fight with us?" Li Yan continued, becoming more and more confident as he spoke.

Li Zhonggang defeated Zhang Xianzhong and was full of confidence. However, he was still a little rational and said, "Our flaw is that there are too few horse teams, only 500 in total. Without enough cavalry, we can never completely defeat the enemy."

"This is not easy to solve." Li Yan said regretfully: "We don't produce horses here, so it's difficult to transport them from Shanxi. The surrounding defenders have basically been bought by us, so don't think about Chen Yongfu."

Li Zhong could only shake his head helplessly. They could not use mules and donkeys as cavalry mounts like thieves. Besides, their artillery team was about to form an army, and the mules and horses that pulled the cannon were not enough. There were ammunition trucks and baggage teams, which used up all their mules and horses. Even if they wanted to use mules, they would not have any extra money.

If it is to be seized, it is really difficult to fight with their way of fighting. Any enemy cavalry that approaches their military formation will basically not be able to catch up. But if the enemy runs far away, they will basically not be able to catch up.

Li Yan ordered Li Zhong: "If you think of a solution in the future, you must urge the musket team to train them well. They have trained for so long and there are still 400 people. They will have to go into battle next time. If they don't go through the battle formation, they will always be recruits."

"Don't worry," Li Zhong nodded and said, "Sun Tianyang trained very seriously." But then he questioned: "Are they really more useful than crossbowmen? Not to mention anything else, the smoke formed by musket fire is not smaller than that of artillerymen. At that time, I can't see anything clearly, so how can I aim and shoot?"

Li Yan explained: "There is no need to aim, they just need to fire projectiles in the direction of the enemy. Their effect is like the cannon's shotgun, killing close enemies in large quantities."

"Okay, it depends on their performance." Li Zhong nodded and said, "Maybe you are right. I hope their role can offset their training consumption."

In the afternoon, Li Yan left the barracks and returned home.

"Young Master," Wu Niang bowed and said, "The New Year gift given by the royal palace has been put into the warehouse."

"Well, I understand." Li Yan nodded casually. After that, he had a sudden idea and wanted to see how much wealth his warehouse had, so he ordered: "Let's go, open the warehouse for me and see how much money I have."

Wu Niang didn't say anything, and took the account book and led the way, preparing Li Yan's account check.

After Li Yan entered the warehouse, he did not ask Wu Niang for the account book, but looked at it casually in the warehouse. He asked, "How much gold and silver are there?"

"There are 480 taels of gold and 8500 taels of silver." Wu Niang reported it casually.

Li Yan shook his head and said disappointedly: "How many are there, just like ten thousand taels of dollars."

"Young Master has a great use?" Wu Niang asked.

Li Yan said casually: "It's nothing, I just think there are not many."

"There are so many gold, silver and jade calligraphy and paintings, and those things are also valuable." Wu Niang reminded.

Li Yan nodded casually and said nothing. He was thinking about how much copper material could be bought for these gold and silver. But now it is useless to have silver and money. He has basically bought all the copper materials in Zhuxian Town. If he wants to buy them, he still doesn't know when to wait. The casting cannon must have the best alloy ratio. If it is made of other copper ware, the ratio of bronze will be different, and impurities are mixed in, and the quality of the cannon will be different, which is completely different from the standardization he wants.

"Young Master, don't you check it out?" Wu Niang reminded.

Li Yan waved his hand and walked outwards while saying, "No, I can trust you."

Qiu Niang was waiting for Li Yan in the distance. When Li Yan came out, she asked, "Young Master, don't we have to pack up our things, go back with you?"
Chapter completed!